Weber State University
Let Truck Driving Schools Info Connect You With a Quality Diesel Mechanic School Near You!
The schools in our network hold one or more of the following quality standards:
- Hands-On Training
- ASE Certified Instructors
- Nationally Recognized Accreditation
- Job Placement Assistance for Those Who Qualify
Just click the orange "Find Your School!" button below and request information from the schools near you. Hurry! Classes are filling up fast!
Heavy Duty Truck
The Heavy Duty Truck program at Weber State University is designed to provide students with the knowledge and training necessary to properly service, repair, and maintain heavy duty diesel trucks and to prepare them for the certification exams administered by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). By the end of the program, students will be prepared to take the T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, and T8 ASE certification exams. The two-year program curriculum specializes in diesel engine service technology.
In the classroom, students learn the basic fundamentals of the diesel engine system, including the design, functions, and principles of operation of the diesel engine. Students are also taught diesel theory through in-depth lectures, class discussions, and textbooks.
Each student will strengthen their comprehension in English, Technical Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, and Science while developing critical thinking and reasoning skills through written assignments, exams, and class projects. Topics in Microcomputer Applications, Customer Service Techniques, and Interpersonal and Small Group Communication will also be studied and discussed.
Students acquire job-specific hands-on training in the laboratory where they observe live demonstrations before being carefully guided by their instructors, as they learn how to inspect, troubleshoot, repair, and maintain heavy duty truck engines, heavy duty truck brakes, heavy duty truck steering systems, heavy duty truck suspension systems, heavy duty truck drive mechanisms, automotive electronics, heavy duty truck electrical systems, and heavy duty truck air conditioning systems.
Students will learn on the most current diagnostic equipment as they diagnose and repair the computerized auxiliary systems found on today’s heavy duty truck engines. Precision measuring instruments, schematics, wiring diagrams, power tools, machine tools, and hand tools will also be used by the students as they disassemble, inspect, test, repair, and reassemble the diesel engines and auxiliary system components found on late model training trucks from Mack and Volvo.
Each student will gain a basic understanding of the importance of working as a team and managing their time effectively, as they work both independently and in groups to successfully complete each assignment given to them by their instructors with accuracy and proficiency.
Safety awareness and the proper protocol for the handling and disposal of hazardous materials, according to OSHA regulations, will also be discussed and practiced throughout the program. Professionalism, integrity, and maintaining a positive attitude in the workplace will also be stressed.
The Heavy Duty Truck Curriculum
The Heavy Duty Truck program is made up of the following industry-specific classes:
- Introduction to Automotive Service
- Heavy Duty Truck Brakes
- Heavy Duty Truck Steering & Suspension Systems
- Heavy Duty Truck Engines
- Heavy Duty Truck Drive Mechanisms
- Automotive Electronics I
- Automotive Electronics II
- Heavy Duty Truck Electrical Systems
- Heavy Duty Truck Diagnosis
- Heavy Duty Truck Air Conditioning
- Cooperative
Students are also required to take Introduction to Writing, Technical Mathematics, Elementary Physics, Introduction to Chemistry, Introduction to Microcomputer Applications, Interpersonal and Small Group Communication, Customer Service Techniques, and either one Social Science elective, or Sociology in order to meet the 67 credit requirements of the Associate of Applied Science Degree program. Students must finish each course and maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA, the equivalent of a “C” grade, in order to graduate.
From Education to Occupation
Students who successfully complete the Heavy Duty Truck program at Weber State University will not only be ready to take the ASE certification exams, they will possess all the basic skills necessary to gain entry-level employment as qualified diesel mechanics working in dealerships, fleet shops, and independent repair shops.
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 Utah was $44,100 yearly and $21.20 hourly, just 2% lower than the national average. Utah wages for diesel mechanics range from $13.85 per hour to $30.96 per hour, with $21.20 per hour being the median wage.
The Two-Year Associate of Applied Science Degree
Weber State University offers a two-year Heavy Duty Truck Associate of Applied Science Degree. This program is Pell Grant eligible.