Western Wyoming Community College
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!
Diesel Technology/Heavy Equipment Maintenance
The curriculum of the Diesel Technology/Heavy Equipment Maintenance program at Western Wyoming Community College covers the service and repair of heavy duty trucks, equipment, and machinery, training students to become successful heavy duty diesel mechanics.
Students are taught such topics as diesel theory and the fundamentals of the diesel engine system in the classroom, learning about the design, functions, and principles of operation of the diesel engine, through in-depth lectures, class participation, and study materials.
Students will strengthen their comprehension of English as well as their mathematical computation skills, while developing strong communication, analytical, and problem solving skills through the completion of homework assignments and class projects. Computers, software applications, and diesel technology terminology will also be discussed and reviewed.
Inside the laboratory is where students obtain valuable hands-on training, as they learn how to inspect, diagnose, and repair diesel engines, heavy duty brakes, automotive electrical systems, automotive electronic systems, electronic engine controls, computerized fuel systems, emissions control systems, heavy duty power trains, industrial hydraulic systems, suspension systems, steering systems, and heating and air conditioning systems. Students will also gain hands-on experience with machine tools as well as shielded metal arc welding techniques.
Students will learn on the most up-to-date computerized diagnostic equipment as they diagnose and repair the computerized auxiliary systems found on today’s diesel engines. Service manuals, wiring diagrams, precision measuring instruments, machine tools, power tools, and hand tools will also be used throughout the program as students learn how to repair and rebuild diesel engines and their integrated system components by disassembling, inspecting, testing, repairing, and reassembling various diesel engines.
Students will learn the value of teamwork and time management as they work both independently, and in groups to successfully complete every task assigned to them by their instructors in an efficient and timely manner. Shop safety, professionalism, and workplace ethics will also be stressed.
The Diesel Technology and Heavy Equipment Technology A.A.S. Program
The Diesel Technology and Heavy Equipment Technology Associate Degree program consists of the following core classes:
- Automotive Electrical Systems I
- Automotive Electrical Systems II
- Automotive Electronics
- Diesel Fundamentals
- Heavy Duty Power Trains
- Diesel Engines
- Diesel Engine Fuel Emissions & Electronic Controls
- Industrial Hydraulics I
- Heavy Duty Brake & Suspension
- Shielded Metal Arc Welding
- Heating & Air Conditioning
- Industrial Safety
Students are also required to take English Composition I, Health & Human Activity, Computer Information Systems, Technical Writing, U.S. Government, Concepts of Physics, Interpersonal Communication, one Assessment Requirement, and either Industrial Hydraulics II or Industrial Hydraulics III or Novice CDL Training in order to meet the 69 credit requirements of the Diesel Technology and Heavy Equipment Technology Associate of Applied Science Degree program. To be eligible for graduation, students must successfully complete each class and maintain at least a 2.0 GPA, the equivalent of a “C” grade.
The Diesel Technology and Heavy Equipment Technology Undergraduate Certificate Program
The Diesel Technology and Heavy Equipment Technology Undergraduate Certificate program contains the following courses:
- Automotive Electrical Systems I
- Automotive Electrical Systems II
- Automotive Electronics
- Diesel Fundamentals
- Heavy Duty Power Trains
- Diesel Engines
- Diesel Engine Fuel Emissions & Electronic Controls
- Industrial Hydraulics I
- Industrial Hydraulics II
- Industrial Hydraulics III
- Heavy Duty Brake & Suspension
- Heating & Air Conditioning
- Shielded Metal Arc Welding or
- Advanced Shielded Metal Arc Welding or
- Gas Metal Arc Welding or
- Groove Welding Plate
In order to graduate, students are required to complete every class and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0, the equivalent of a “C” grade.
The Diesel Technology with CDL Undergraduate Certificate Program
The Diesel Technology with CDL Undergraduate Certificate program is made up of the following core classes:
- Automotive Electrical Systems I
- Automotive Electrical Systems II
- Automotive Electronics
- Diesel Fundamentals
- Heavy Duty Power Trains
- Diesel Engines
- Industrial Hydraulics I
- Heavy Duty Brake & Suspension
- Shielded Metal Arc Welding or
- Oxyacetylene Welding or
- Oxyacetylene Cutting
- Novice CDL Training
Students are also required to take either Intro to Technical Mathematics or Concepts of Physics in order to meet the 42 credit hour requirements of the Diesel Technology with CDL Undergraduate Certificate program. Students are required to complete each and every class and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0, the equivalent of a “C” grade, in order to graduate.
The Diesel Technology Undergraduate Certificate Program
The Diesel Technology Undergraduate Certificate program contains the following courses:
- Automotive Electrical Systems I
- Automotive Electrical Systems II
- Automotive Electronics
- Diesel Fundamentals
- Heavy Duty Power Trains
- Diesel Engines
- Brake Systems
- Industrial Hydraulics I
- Heavy Duty Brake & Suspension
- Shielded Metal Arc Welding or
- Oxyacetylene Welding or
- Oxyacetylene Cutting
Students are also required to take either Intro to Technical Mathematics or Concepts of Physics in order to meet the 40 credit requirements of the Diesel Technology Undergraduate Certificate program. Students must finish each class and maintain at least a 2.0 GPA, the equivalent of a “C” grade, to be eligible for graduation.
Graduation and Beyond
Students who successfully complete the Diesel Technology/Heavy Equipment Maintenance program at Western Wyoming Community College will be equipped with the technical knowledge and mechanical skill to secure entry-level employment as qualified diesel mechanics servicing, repairing, and maintaining medium and heavy duty diesel trucks and industrial machinery.
Employment opportunities include working for commercial trucking fleets, heavy equipment dealers, on and off-highway truck dealerships, public transportation, school districts, municipalities, independent repair shops, and for logging, mining, natural gas and oil exploration and drilling companies. Graduates of the Diesel Technology/Heavy Equipment Maintenance program at Western Wyoming Community College may also choose to work for shipyards, train yards, electric power plants, and on large farms and ranches.
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 Wyoming was $52,520 yearly and $25.25 hourly, 16% higher than the national average.
The Associate of Applied Science Degree and Undergraduate Certificate
Western Wyoming Community College offers a two-year Associate of Applied Science Degree in Diesel Technology and Heavy Equipment Technology. Western Wyoming Community College also offers a 9-month Undergraduate Certificate in Diesel Technology and Heavy Equipment Technology, a 9-month Undergraduate Certificate in Diesel Technology with a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), and a 9-month Undergraduate Certificate in Diesel Technology. All four programs are Pell Grant eligible.