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  • John Deere TECH program helps meet dealerships’ needs for qualified technicians

    John Deere TECH program helps meet dealerships’ needs for qualified technicians

    Developing new technicians needed by one of this country’s oldest and largest manufacturers of agricultural and heavy equipment is comparable to building a three-legged stool. 

    The first leg is a group of 23 colleges across the U.S. and Canada.

    The second is made up of the more than 2,000 dealership locations providing sales and service.

    The third is the company itself, which supports the colleges and the dealership sponsored students.

    Combined, they make up the John Deere TECH Program, which ensures a stream of new well-trained technicians are in the dealership’s talent pipeline to meet the growing demand for skilled technicians to work on John Deere products.

    Jason Kinzey is one of John Deere’s Service Development Managers. He and two colleagues coordinate the program, which began in 1989.

    Kinzey explains the basics of the John Deere TECH program:

    “The way our program works is a split between John Deere, the company, our dealers, who are independently owned businesses, and our partner colleges. Without all three partners working together, we’re not successful because we require a dealer sponsor for on the job training during the program.”

    Kinzey said students become involved with the John Deere TECH program generally in one of several ways. He said some will learn of it after having visited a local dealership. Many find the website online, while others, according to Kinzey may have found out about it through a school visit or career event.

    No matter how they find out, Kinzey said the potential technicians wind up in a college program focused on John Deere products..   

    “So we have a mix of classroom theory learning, and then we have hands-on shop learning to reinforce the theory, and then we send you to your dealership to actually get real world experience on live equipment.”

    And, of course, like so many learning options today, John Deere TECH also has a new virtual program. It allows students to work full-time at dealerships while taking online classes. This helps address the geographical challenges some students may face.

    Kinzey adds that students can choose to transfer high school dual credit classes to the college they are attending and then earn their associate’s degree.

    Regardless of the college they enroll in, Kinzey says students in the company’s TECH program will go through training specific to John Deere equipment and systems.

    What students learn is, in part, driven by the needs of the dealerships. Kinzey says every institution has an advisory board that helps ensure students are learning skills to be successful and also meet the needs of the supporting dealerships.

    “Dealers are advising our schools on their specific needs and curriculum updates and revisions based on industry changes.”

    Kinzey says that when students are doing their internship while not on campus, the dealership can reinforce what they learn in their classes with work assignments.

    “The expectation is then when you’re back at the dealership, the service manager knows, ‘a student just completed basic electrical and basic hydraulics, so they assign that student jobs with a senior technician, that are electrical and hydraulic issues and reinforce what they learned at school on  live work.

    Most dealers have a tuition reimbursement program for the students they hire following graduation, according to Kinzey. 

    The John Deere TECH Program also ensures that college instructors are well versed in the company’s systems and equipment.

    “We provide training, and training aids to those instructors,” says Kinzey. He and his two counterparts bring them together for an annual training event for continuing education. They also provide new equipment that rolls in and out of the school each year for instructors to use.

    And, is the John Deere TECH program being successful? Kinzey says the program has a fill rate of about 90%.

    But there are also other ways to measure the program’s success.

    Kinzey explains:

    “I see several students that as a junior in high school or a sophomore they decided, ‘Hey, I want to be a technician and I want to work on John Deere tractors,’ and they get a part-time job at the dealership. 

    “They’ve worked there for a couple years before we ever get them in the classroom, and they’re excited and they complete the program and hit the ground running.”

  • Next Generation in Trucking announces winners of inaugural NEXT Top Talent Award for Technicians

    Next Generation in Trucking announces winners of inaugural NEXT Top Talent Award for Technicians

    The Next Generation in Trucking Association (NGT) today announces the winners and finalists of the inaugural 2025 NEXT Top Talent Award, a first-of-its-kind recognition program honoring CDL drivers and diesel technicians under 30, which the. association says “are redefining what it means to be a professional in our industry.”

    These rising stars exemplify dedication to safety, professionalism, and purpose, and their stories prove that the future of trucking is already here, and it’s full of promise, NGT said in its announcement.

    The grand champion diesel technician is Joe Reed of the Kenan Advantage Group 

    “From his start as a technician to his role today as shop foreman, Joe’s leadership, mentorship, and drive for excellence have elevated his team and strengthened operations. We’re proud to celebrate his well-deserved recognition!,” NGT said.

    Reed began his career as a technician and has steadily worked his way up to become shop foreman for KAG Energy in North Canton, Ohio. His leadership has transformed the shop, improving its appearance, operational performance, and team morale, accordin g to the NGTA. The organization said Reed leads by example and holds himself to high standards while motivating his team to grow alongside him.

    NGTA said Reed has strengthened KAG’s terminal operations by keeping trucks on the road and maximizing load revenue. He actively collaborates with corporate fleet leaders, and his hunger for learning has positioned him for even greater opportunities in leadership, such as terminal manager or regional maintenance manager roles.

    “Joe’s mentorship has raised the performance of other team members, and several technicians have expressed interest in advancing their careers because of Joe’s example,” said the NGTA. “He exemplifies what it means to lead with humility, skill, and a vision for the future.”

    2025 NEXT Top Talent diesel technician winners include:

    · Adam Wheaton – Old Dominion Freight Line

    · Angel Alcala – Old Dominion Freight Line

    · Austin Randler – KL Harring Transportation, LLC

    · Ayden Standridge – Boyd Cat

    · Bradley Mackey – Waste Management

    · Caleb Varner – Logisticize

    · Carlos Lopez – FedEx Freight

    · Corey Coots – Usher Transport, Inc.

    · David M Carter – Horizon Freight Lines, Inc.

    · Dylan Gallagher – Old Dominion Freight Line

    · Jackie Clark – Gordon Food Service

    · Joe Brilowski – Koch NaitonaLease

    · Joseph Weeks – Waste Management

    · Kameron Pugh – Ralph Moyle, Inc.

    · Kyle T. Applebee – Hoffman Transportation

    · Matthew Becker – Old Dominion Freight Line

    · Riley Sullivan – Advantage Truck Group

    · Ryan Frisk – Waste Management

    · Thomas Cornell – Koch Trucking

    “The NEXT Top Talent Award allows us to highlight their achievements and elevate the importance of building career pathways for Gen Z,” said Lindsey Trent, President and Co-Founder of NGT.

    The NEXT Top Talent Award is co-sponsored by Fullbay and Project 61.

  • FedEx freight’s Matthew Sloan wins TMCSuper Tech Competition

    FedEx freight’s Matthew Sloan wins TMCSuper Tech Competition

    Matthew Sloan, a FedEx Freight technician from Jacksonville, Florida, was crowned TMCSuperTech 2025 Grand Champion at the American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council’s National Technicians Skills Competitions. 

    The competition was held as part of the Technology & Maintenance Council’s gathering in Raleigh, North Carolina.

    “Being named Grand Champion at TMC’s National Technician Skills Competitions is a tremendous honor,” said TMC Executive Director Robert Braswell. “Matthew demonstrated the kinds of skills, technical knowledge, and professionalism we have come to expect from our members. Congratulations to him and to all our competitors who displayed extraordinary talent during this competition.”

    FedEx Freight’s Kelby Bentley — himself a TMCSuperTech Grand Champion in 2019 — placed second, and Hogan Truck Leasing’s Carl Diehl placed third. FedEx Freight won the team competition with John Blanchet and Philip Barlow.

    Tully McKinley of Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem, North Caroilina won the TMCFutureTech National Student Technician Skills Competition. Madison Boone, also of Forsyth Technical Community College, was second, and Bennett Fischer, WyoTech, of Laramie, Wyomin placing third.

    Here’s the complete list of finishers in the TMCSuper Tech competition:

    NOFIRSTLASTCompanySTATE CHAMPRANK
    62MatthewSloanFedEx Freight 1
    55KelbyBentleyFedEx Freight 2
    13CarlDiehlHogan Truck Leasing, Inc. 3
    9BrianPetersSalem Leasing Corp.NORTH CAROLINA4
    59LucasCoyleTravelCenters of AmericaINDIANA5
    36JamieSmithFedEx Freight 6
    76NicholasBryantFedEx Freight 7
    80PhilipBarlowFedEx Freight 8
    49JohnBlanchetFedEx Freight 9
    86StevenLaytonTravelCenters of America 10
    69MitchellBuelowFedEx Freight 11
    42JessicaMcAllisterHogan Truck Leasing, Inc. 12
    20CoryWestfallFedEx Freight 13
    56KevinDaCostaPublix Super Markets, Inc. 14
    71MichaelKrauseClarke Power Services, Inc.MISSOURI15
    66MichaelKerfootCox Automotive 16
    91TerryPodralskiW. W. WilliamsOHIO17
    14JeramiahCarterAveritt Express, Inc. 18
    75NicholasBrownFedEx Freight 19
    32IanMatjeIron Buffalo 20
    92TylerYoungFedEx Freight 21
    24TobyDe VoyTravelCenters of AmericaOKLAHOMA22
    4AvenBlozanIron BuffaloCOLORADO23
    7BenjaminKirtleyJ.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.ARKANSAS24
    60LukasGrinceviciusIron Buffalo 25
    26AdamDixonTravelCenters of America 26
    28GarrettDezielTravelCenters of America 27
    19CoreyTegelerOld Dominion Freight Line, Inc.TEXAS28
    35JamesonHaneyCox Automotive 29
    61LucasNoyesBlaine Brothers 30
    46JoshKeiserClarke Power Services, Inc. 31
    44JohnKiddTravelCenters of America 32
    10RobertMaxcyPepsiCo, Inc. 33
    12BrianClimesHogan Truck Leasing, Inc. 34
    41JacobGraysonRuan 35
    5AlanAndersonRDO Truck CenterNEBRAKSA36
    93WalterWhitleyRed Classic Transportation Services LLC 37
    37JasonMillerCox Automotive 38
    57JonahKisserW. W. Williams 39
    94WilliamLilesPepsiCo, Inc. 40
    83RossStungurysCarolina International Trucks, Inc.SOUTH CAROLINA41
    18ClydeWeathersHogan Truck Leasing, Inc. 42
    2AndrewWilliamsLakeside International TrucksWISCONSIN43
    25DillonGrimesCox Automotive 44
    8BobbyKeyShamrock Environmental 45
    67MichaelPerkinsPepsiCo, Inc. 46
    73NathanielHinmanPublix Super Markets, Inc. 47
    27DavidPittmanAmerit Fleet Solutions 48
    82PhillipRorrerRuan 49
    17JamesClaypoolBlaine Brothers 50
    3AlanSnyderCox Automotive 51
    11BrendanJohnstonPepsiCo, Inc. 52
    48JohnMasarickWiers International/Wiers Fleet Partners 53
    16ChristopherGerraldTravelCenters of America 54
    29JeremyColfRegional International Corp.NEW YORK55
    31ChristopherFergusonTravelCenters of America 56
    84RudyMontenegroTravelCenters of America 57
    64MohammadAlgaghbeirTravelCenters of America 58
    50JordanSpaidPepsiCo, Inc. 59
    22DavidLogalboCox Automotive 60
    65MichaelCastroPublix Super Markets, Inc. 61
    72ErinMurphySaia, Inc. 62
    1AdamTeesdaleSaia, Inc. 63
    70GrantMitchellClean Harbors Environmental Svcs. Inc. 64
    90ToddMarenoCox Automotive 65
    33JacksonRiceClarke Power Services, Inc. 66
    45JesusRodriquezRuan 67
    47JohnMatthewsSmithfield Transportation 68
    81RichardDeyoungTesla, Inc. 69
    58LeonardoMendez-OrtizSaia, Inc. 70
    53JustinParsonMesser North America, Inc. 71
    77NicholasWheelerWhited PeterbiltMAINE72
    21MartinCoteClean Harbors Environmental Svcs. Inc. 73
    6BruceMarshallAmerit Fleet Solutions 74
    34JamesWilburnMesser North America, Inc. 75
    63MatthewDegennaroSaia, Inc. 76
    23DJEdwardsW. W. Williams 77
    43JimmyEichelbergerTyson Foods 78
    87ShawnVaughnW. W. Williams 79
    88ThomasJacksonTesla, Inc. 80
    15CollinHawkinsonAmerit Fleet Solutions 81
    79DavidPenaBest Specialized 82
    78OscarBroussetFleetPro, Inc.MARYLAND83
    54JamesVaughnW. W. Williams 84
    40JoshPaisieAmerit Fleet Solutions 85
    89ThomasNorwoodW. W. Williams 86
    74EricNeuenschwanderClean Harbors Environmental Svcs. Inc. 87
    38JazielEspinozaIron Buffalo 88
    30MichaelGriffithSaia, Inc. 89
    51JoshuaGreenRed Classic Transportation Services LLC 90
    68MikeMcBrideMesser North America, Inc. 91
    39JonathanCarterSaia, Inc. 92
    52JordanSchloesserAmerit Fleet Solutions 93
    95ZacharyNikorakCox Automotive 94
  • M&K Truck Centers buys General Truck Sales’ four locations

    M&K Truck Centers buys General Truck Sales’ four locations

    Michigan-based M&K Truck Centers recently purchased four locations of General Truck Sales, Inc.

    Three of the General Truck Sales locations are in Indiana and one is in Ohio.

    Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

    General Truck Sales, Inc. is a family-owned business founded in 1958. The business sells, leases, repairs, and services new and used light, medium, and heavy-duty trucks. General Truck Salevfcs, Inc. is an authorized Volvo, Mack, Hino, and Isuzu dealer and recognized four times by Volvo Trucks as North American Dealer of the Year.

    The company’s facilities include Toledo, Ohio, which sits on 20.25 acres with a 92,800 square-foot building, Pendleton, Indiana, on 19.4 acres with a 70,800 square-foot building, and two locations in Muncie, Indiana.

    Steve Bassett, chief executive officer of General Truck Sales, Inc. said, “Since our inception in 1958, General Truck Sales has been providing first-class service to our customers. After 67 years in business and 34 years of ownership under my guidance, I have chosen to retire. Selling my business was one of the biggest decisions I’ve ever made, and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner throughout the process.”

    M&K Truck Centers is a commercial vehicle dealer group headquartered in Byron Center, Michigan. It operates over 30 locations, employing more than 1,000 people. The company represents Mack, Volvo, Hino, and Isuzu trucks; Wabash, East, and Vanguard trailers; and Renegade motor coaches.

    Founded in 1989 by Ron Meyering, M&K began with the purchase of used truck inventory and steadily expanded into new truck sales, adding Volvo in 2002 and Mack in 2003. Over the years, M&K Truck Centers has grown through several strategic acquisitions.

    Meyering, chief executive officer of M&K Truck Centers said, “The acquisition of General Truck Sales, Inc. in Indiana and Ohio was a perfect geographical fit for M&K Truck Centers. Our team is excited about this acquisition, and we look forward to including the General Truck Sales employees in our ESOP employee ownership plan.”

    General Truck Sales, Inc. will be renamed M&K Truck Centers, and all four locations will remain at their current sites.

  • Get ready to pay more: Auto parts and tools included in latest Trump Tariffs

    Get ready to pay more: Auto parts and tools included in latest Trump Tariffs

    Expect many of the parts you use to make repairs and even some of tools you use on the job to cost more.

    The U.S. Commerce Department announced more than 400 items — including auto parts — have been added to the list of products included in President Donald Trump’s 50% tariff on imported steel and aluminum.

    A total of 407 new items have been added to the list of so called “derivative” steel and aluminum products subject to the tariff. The list of additional products was announced last Friday and took effect Monday.

    That wide-ranging list includes electric vehicle components, washers, dryers, marine engines, wind turbines, furniture components and used trucks.

    In announcing the expansion of products subject to the 50% tariffs, Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Jeffrey Kessler sais,:“Today’s action expands the reach of the steel and aluminum tariffs and shuts down avenues for circumvention – supporting the continued revitalization of the American steel and aluminum industries.”

    A statement from the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security explained the expansion:

    “This is the latest in a series of historic steps by the Trump Administration to strengthen America’s steel and aluminum industry.  In February, President Trump issued Proclamations 10895 and 10986, which eliminated numerous carve-outs from the Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs and cracked down on tariff misclassification and duty evasion schemes. These proclamations also directed Commerce, within 90 days, to establish a process for adding steel and aluminum derivative products to the Section 232 tariffs – which Commerce did in May. In June, President Trump issued Proclamation 10947, which increased the tariff rate for steel and aluminum from 25% to 50%, making the tariffs stronger than ever.”

    Tariffs are a key part of the Trump Administration. Earlier this month, Trump announced tariffs on goods from 90 countries. They range from 15% on goods from Germany to 50% on those from India and Brazil.

    The new tariffs even apply to goods that were in transit at the time of the latest announcement.

  • Study: 65.5% of shops understaffed; techs cite Buying Tools as job barrier

    Study: 65.5% of shops understaffed; techs cite Buying Tools as job barrier

    New research released today shows 65.5% of trucking maintenance shops are understaffed by technicians, and have an average of 19.3% of positions unfilled.

    The American Transportation Research Institute’s new research on causes and solutions for the current gaps in diesel technician training, recruitment, and retention also found:

    • 61.8% enter the career without any formal training, requiring an average of 357 training hours and $8,211 in trainee wages to prepare them  
    • 30% of training program graduates were unqualified in 20 core skill areas, according to diesel shops
    • In 7 of these core skill areas, each additional hour of training improved tech qualification by more than 16 percent
    • In 6 core skill areas, however, each additional hour of training improved tech qualification by less than 8 percent, highlighting the need for critical curricula upgrades
    • 29% said the most common barrier reported by techs at the start of their career was the high cost of acquiring their own tools
    • 28% said a lack of prior tech knowledge was also a barrier
    • 16.1% said insufficient pay was a barrier
    • 10.8% cited poor shop mentorship

    Almost half — 44.4% — of trucking techs were considering other tech jobs, with automotive and agriculture the most common alternative industries, according to ATRI.

    Dissatisfaction with pay, interactions with management, and variety of work were the aspects of employment that had the most statistically significant association with techs choosing to look for a new job versus staying at their current job.  The research also evaluated techs’ perspectives on other industries to identify how trucking’s comparative strengths and weaknesses match up to techs’ varying priorities.

    “With a lack of qualified techs and stiff competition from other industries, tech employment in the trucking industry is not keeping up with demand, especially when it comes to retaining entry-level technicians just entering the workforce,” said Robert Braswell, Executive Director of ATA’s Technology & Maintenance Council.  “ATRI’s report helps trucking shops identify not only where they and their training program partners can improve but also how to better leverage our industry’s existing strengths.”

  • 5 important ‘soft’ skills you need to be a successful technician

    5 important ‘soft’ skills you need to be a successful technician

    OK, so you’ve completed your two years of technician training and graduated (Congratulations!) from a good community college. You’ve had an internship working hands-on at a dealer, and you’ve even gotten a couple of specialized certifications (Good for you!).

    You’ve done:

    • Oil changes? Check!
    • Some engine work? Check!
    • Brakes? Check!
    • Transmissions? Check!
    • Electrical? Check!
    • Steering? Check!
    • Tires? Check!

    So you’re all set to interview for the job you have been eyeing for the last six months.

    Well, not really. There’s more you need not just to be a good technician, but also to be a good employee, the kind every dealership wants to hire; the kind that can successfully climb a career ladder.

    You need what recruiters and human resources professionals call “soft skills.” In short, these are the personal attributes you need, the kind that come from your head and heart and not just your hands.

    Among the soft skills that will help prove your value to a potential employer are:

    • Communicate Effectively: As a technician, you’re going to have to explain to a customer what’s wrong with their vehicle and how you plan to fix it. You also need to effectively communicate with other techs, the service and parts managers, and your boss.
    • Being a Team Player:  Unless you plan to operate a one-person shop, you’re going to have to work with and rely on others. That means being able to collaborate on repair solutions, lend a helping hand when needed, and do your part to make the shop a good and friendly place to work. If you borrow a tool, clean and return it. Volunteer to sweep up at the end of the day.
    • Maintain a Professional Work Style. It’s one thing to get a job done, but it’s another thing entirely to get it done on time and without a lot of fuss and bother. You need to organize not just your work space but also your approach to a repair. Plan what you have to do and then execute.
    • Problem Solving. This is key for a technician because today’s vehicles have a lot of intricate systems and technology, all of which can go wrong. Not every repair is going to be diagnosed with a specialized tablet you can plug into a port. You’ll need to call on your education and your ability to pay close attention as you tackle a repair.  
    • Desire to Keep Learning: Earning your college degree or certificate is just the beginning of your path to becoming a skillful and successful professional technician. Vehicles change. Technology changes. The marketplace changes. To be successful, you need to keep up. There are plenty of online courses and tutorials you can access. And, if your employer offers continuing education opportunities, jump at them.

    Yes, at the end of the day, you need outstanding hands-on skills as a technician to get and keep a job at any reputable dealership or repair shop. But, your tool kit also needs to include a selection of strong interpersonal – soft – skills to achieve your career goals. 

  • Peterbilt’s Nashville Technician Institute graduates first class

    Peterbilt’s Nashville Technician Institute graduates first class

     Peterbilt Technician Institute (PTI) recently honored its inaugural class of certified technician graduates at its newly opened campus in Nashville.

    Launched earlier this month, the Nashville facility is a state-of-the-art training center designed to support the program’s expanded geographical reach established through a partnership with the Lincoln Educational Services Corporation (Lincoln Tech) in 2023.

    The PTI Nashville graduates comprise the program’s 140th class, a testament to its proven track record and well-rounded curriculum, according to a statement from the company. The graduates have already received employment offers from several Peterbilt dealers.  

    “This first graduating class at the new Nashville campus reflects our dedication to building a strong pipeline of skilled service technicians throughout North America equipped to support today’s advanced vehicle technologies,” said Danny Landholm, Peterbilt director of dealer network development. “We congratulate these graduates and are proud to help prepare them for opportunities across the Peterbilt dealer network and broader industry.”

    The PTI program leverages a learning approach that combines classroom and hands-on training to build practical experience. It emphasizes teamwork to enhance communication skills and incorporates web-based skill-building activities to ensure technicians possess comprehensive technical knowledge, enabling them to excel and deliver maximum uptime for Peterbilt customers.

    Upon completion of the program, students will earn factory-trained technician credentials that can fast-track them to careers at more than 430 Peterbilt dealerships across the United States and Canada.

    Interested students can learn more about the PTI program by visiting it online.

  • Most Americans cannot handle all but most basic car repairs themselves

    Most Americans cannot handle all but most basic car repairs themselves

    Professional technicians of America, you can rest easy tonight safe in the knowledge you have plenty of job security.

    A new survey by a company providing personal financial services and advice finds while most Americans car owners are capable of basic — very basic! — maintenance, they are far less confident in their ability to do even slightly more demanding automotive repair tasks.

    Florida-based Finance Buzz found in its recent survey of 1,000 car owners that while 80% of them can put air in their cars tires and 78% can add windshield washer fluid successfully. However, less than half — just 48% — said they can change a tire without help. And, just 38% said they could perform an oil change on their own.

    Even dashboard warning lights can be a bit confusing for some. While 78% recognized a check engine light, only 13% could successfully identify a brake warning light. Many folks even struggled with basic paperwork: 70% knew what their car’s monthly insurance premium costs, but slightly more than half, just 52%, knew their coverage limits.

    The FinanceBuzz report finds many American car owners will depend on pros like you to handle many repairs. The percentage of respondents and the repair tasks they’ll need your help with include:

    • replace spark plugs – 73%
    • perform an oil change – 64%
    • replace an engine air filter – 55%
    • replace their car’s battery – 53%
    • change a tire – 52%
    • replace a wiper blade – 39%
    • jump start a car – 38%

    One’s confidence in their ability to make a repair — specifically, perform an oil change — depends in large part their age. The percentage of car owners who would need you help includes:

    • 53% of Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964)
    • 39% of Gen X ( born between 1965 and 1980)
    • 31% of Millennials (born between 1981 and 1995)
    • 29% of Gen Z (born between 1996 and 2010)

    Things get a little doifferenent when it comes to one especially specific task: driving a stick shift. The survey said while 62% of all drivers claim they know how to drive stick, that number increases to 69% among Boomers, but tumbles to just over half — 51% — of millennials.

    See the full FinanceBuzz report online.

  • Kenworth Essentials: A successful pipeline of entry-level technicians from education to dealerships

    Kenworth Essentials: A successful pipeline of entry-level technicians from education to dealerships

    In today’s battle to find and keep good, qualified technicians, some dealerships have a distinct advantage: the ones that can say they sell and service the  “The World’s Best” trucks, Kenworth.

    But, it’s not just that these trucks have a reputation for excellence built over the last 102 years. It’s that Kenworth dealers also have available to them a successful corporate program that helps steer young technicians from high school or college programs to their service department doors.

    The Kenworth Essentials program fosters connections between students, high schools and colleges and dealerships. It does so by working with all three constituencies. The Essentials program’s managers:

    • Help high school students identify a college program to attend or a dealership for possible employment
    • Work with educational programs so their curricula deliver the most up-to-date training required of entry-level technicians
    • Assist dealerships make connections with educational programs and ensure they’re offering the sorts of opportunities their graduates seek when they get hired

    Working With Students

    The best way for students to receive the benefits of Kenworth Essentials is, like so many other things today, to get online.

    “Kenworthessentials.com gives an introduction to our program, and gives them a place to reach out to,” said Bill Metzger, a program manager with Kenworth Essentials. “It gives them all of our program managers’ contact information, and what we prefer them to do is get in contact with one of us, because we all do have assigned territories that we work with or schools that we work with, and we can start the conversation with a student. 

    “If it’s a high school student, we can talk to them about where they’re at, where they want to go, what they want to do. We can connect them with a school that’s in our network.” 

    Or, if the student is already in an educational program, a Kenworth Essentials program manager can initiate contact with a dealer to help the student find a job after graduation.

    “They’re at a school trying to be a technician,”  said Adam Stone, a program manager for the West Coast and Southwest. “So we don’t have to convince them that they want to be a technician. We just want to convince them to be a Kenworth technician.”

    Working with students also often means working with parents, especially at the high school level.

    Darren Erickson is one of several program managers who are part of Kenworth Essentials. He said part of his job is explaining what a technician’s job isn’t as much as what it is.

    “Reaching out to the parents of young kids and helping them understand what kind of career opportunities exist in the trucking industry is really what we’re trying to do,” said Erickson, who covers the U.S. West Coast and Canada for Kenworth essentials. “There’s a misconception that a technician is a dirty mechanic caked in grease, and in some cases that’s true. But, there is a lot more working with laptops and computers.” 

    Working With High Schools & Colleges

    The folks working in Kenworth Essentials cast a wide net when it comes to educational institutions. To date they work with 200 schools across the U.S. and Canada. Program Manager Dennis Bullock said about 25% of the educational institutions are high schools with vocational programs. The rest are trade schools and colleges.

    The goal of Kenworth Essentials is to help schools and colleges provide the sort of training an entry-level technician needs to get and be successful in a job at a dealership. Kenworth gives schools and students access to training the company has developed.

    Metzger said, “It starts out at the very base of what a tech needs to know, and we kind of build on it from there. It goes through about 32 to 35 hours of online modules they can do. 

    “Schools have different approaches about how they have the students do the modules. Some of them use them in the curriculum, some of them use them as homework. The students have access to this while they’re going to the school, and they can access it on their own computer from home or at school, however they want to do it.”

    Once students have completed those modules, Metzer said there are two instructor-led classes students complete to help them achieve their certification.

    This, said Metzger, aids both the student and the dealership. If the dealership sees the student has earned their Kenworth Essentials certification, then they know that potential new hire has the basic knowledge needed to perform as an entry-level technician. 

    “This is all tailored around entry-level technicians,” he said. “So it’s the basic knowledge that has been out in the industry. We see the need for knowledge that the entry level techs need to know going in, starting their career with a Kenworth dealer.”

    Then, after graduation and if hired by a dealership that technician would go through more training to become certified by Kenworth.

    Working With Dealerships

    The final part of the equation, and possibly the most important one, is the answer to the question, “Now what?” 

    Karen Apple helps dealership personnel and entry-level technicians find that answer. 

    She’s a curriculum development and retention specialist, and says her role is to ensure that graduates and dealerships see there is a career path, one that is clearly demonstrated on the Kenworth Essentials website. Apple said she wants new technicians “know how to go from level one technician to level two technician and so on.”

    In addition to the career path map, Apple said Kenworth Essentials also has a Technician Toolkit, which explains what a technician needs to advance into different roles.

    The Toolkit, said Apple,“ identifies those core competencies for each of the roles (on the career path). So really, it spells out this is a skillset that this dealership expects you to have within this role. So it allows you to have, not only  a visual to let you see how you can grow in your career, and how this is in fact a career, but also what skills you need to help develop as you grow in your career.” 

    Kenworth Essentials also helps dealerships by urging them to be part of a school’s advisory board so dealers know what is being taught and so educators know the needs of the dealership. Also, the program also offers tips on how to put their best foot forward by inviting students to tour their facilities, and by explaining the training opportunities, compensation, and benefits new hires can expect.

    But, one of the best things dealerships have going for them is their affiliation with Kenworth.

    Dennis Bullock said when he goes to trade shows and hiring fairs, young people know and are attracted to the brand. He said people will come up to him and tell him how their fathers and grandfathers drove Kenworths. And, it’s something they say proudly.