Beginning January 2016, Ivy Tech Community College Northeast will begin offering three diesel heavy truck courses within its Automotive Technology program. These include:

1. Introduction to Diesel Technology

2. Diesel Preventative Maintenance

3. Heavy Truck Brake Systems

“We have gotten multiple phone calls from local truck repair facilities and trucking companies looking for diesel technicians, so there’s a demand from the local employers,” says Robert Huffman, Automotive Technology program chair. “Additionally, we have had multiple inquiries from students wanting to take diesel courses, wanting to know if they were offered at the Fort Wayne campus, which they never were before.”

The new addition is made possible due in part to JAT of Fort Wayne, which donated a semi-truck with a Detroit diesel engine. JAT also plans to offer additional supplies including engines and transmissions.

“One major area of need has always been quality diesel technicians,” says Jared Thompson, JAT of Fort Wayne co-owner. “The goal at the end of the day is for the program to put out some quality technicians who can slip right into the work environment.”

Pending the Commission for Higher Education’s approval, the program also plans to offer a technical certificate in Diesel Heavy Truck that students complete in a short time frame. Students who complete the certificate will be able to transition into the automotive technology associate degree, if they so choose. The associate degree is a two-year program, while technical certificates are one-year programs designed to provide conceptual and technical skills for the workforce.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, graduates in the diesel field can expect to earn an average salary of nearly $22 an hour.

Those interested in learning more about diesel heavy truck courses and/or the technical certificate can contact Robert Huffman, automotive technology chair, at rhuffman10 or 260-481-2247.

Ivy Tech Community College is the state’s largest public postsecondary institution and the nation’s largest singly accredited statewide community college system. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana. It serves as the state’s engine of workforce development, offering affordable degree programs and training that are aligned with the needs of its community along with courses and programs that transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association.