Tulsa Tech

Diesel Service Technician  

The Diesel Service Technician program at Tulsa Tech provides students with the academic education and skills training needed to service, troubleshoot, and repair diesel powered vehicles and heavy equipment.

This course is designed to prepare students for the ASE Certification exams in seven different categories: Diesel Engines, Brakes, Steering and Suspension, Heating and Air Conditioning, Electrical/Electronic Systems, Drive Train, and Preventive Maintenance Inspection.

Through classroom lectures and written assignments, students learn about the the purpose, design, and operating principles of diesel powered vehicles and heavy equipment.

In the laboratory, students are immersed in a hands-on learning environment, where they are carefully guided through instructor-led demonstrations and student-assigned tasks, diagnosing and repairing various real-world problems, and performing proper preventive maintenance service and inspection procedures, on diesel engines, diesel engine systems, heavy equipment, diesel electronic systems, diesel electrical systems, medium/heavy diesel truck drive trains, medium/heavy diesel truck brakes, medium/heavy diesel truck steering and suspension systems, and medium/heavy diesel truck heating and air systems. 

Through the disassembling, inspection, diagnosis, repair, and reassembling of various diesel engines and their integrated system components, students gain vital hands-on experience in the proper use of computerized diagnostic machines, service manuals, specialized measuring devices, electronic meters, hand tools, and power tools, and other industry standard equipment. 

Students also learn how to manage their time effectively and work as a team, while developing strong communication and leadership skills, as they work independently and in groups, to complete every assigned task with accuracy and precision. With each assignment, students strengthen their analytical, technical, and mechanical skills.

Job Outlook 

As the diesel industry continues to grow rapidly, job opportunities for qualified diesel mechanics is expected to increase 11% by the year 2020, as fast as average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The mean annual wage for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists working in the United States in 2014 was $45,160, while the mean salary for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists employed in the state of Oklahoma was $40,550 yearly and $19.49 hourly, just 11% lower than the national average.

Students who successfully complete the Diesel Service Technician program at Tulsa Tech will be fully prepared to take their ASE Certification and state licensure exams, before pursuing entry-level employment as professional diesel service technicians, maintaining and repairing today’s diesel powered vehicles and heavy equipment. 

The Undergraduate Certificate

Tulsa Tech offers a Diesel Service Technician Undergraduate Certificate. This program is available to both high school students and adults. The Diesel Service Technician Undergraduate Certificate program is a two-year program for high school students and adults enrolling part-time. For adults enrolling full-time, the Diesel Service Technician Undergraduate Certificate program is a 9-month program. High school students are not required to pay tuition costs. This program is Pell Grant eligible.