Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technology Program Summary
The hands-on approach to AVTEC’s Diesel/Heavy Equipment Technologies program helps students learn how to service, maintain, and repair equipment ranging from dump trucks to bulldozers. As most equipment is powered by diesel engines, students will disassemble, measure, and reassemble engines to factory specifications. The technology changes in the past few years have led to the use of laptop and dedicated scan tools for diagnosis of electronically controlled engines and systems. Because of the complexity of this equipment, students should have good mechanical aptitude, and strong reading and mathematics skills, and should also possess a desire to succeed.
Approximately 60% of the course is shop work and 40% is classroom instruction. Instruction is individualized so that students may progress at their own rate. Good reading and math skills are essential.
The nature of the training requires that students work outdoors. Warm clothing, rain gear, and proper boots are required. Construction equipment such as dump trucks, road graders, front-end loaders, back hoes, bulldozers, and a large transport truck are utilized by students developing mechanical skills.
