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Diesel tech school

666 views 16 replies 12 participants last post by  RufCTR 
#1 ·
So I basically just quit my job. Was just a bullshit job to make some money that i stayed at way too long. I have enough money saved to go to school and Ive been looking trying to find decent diesel school but its hard to find anything beyond the commercial institutes like wyotech/uti which I am very weary of(they often send recruiters that have never been to the school).

Anyone have any advice on where to look? Location doesnt really matter because Ill go anywhere honestly I am just looking for a good school.
 
#2 ·
my brother went to UTI for VW's and audi's, he loved it and they really did help him find a good job where he wanted to work. I know he did some diesel stuff but not sure to what extent.
 
#3 ·
i was going to say UTI as well.
 
#4 ·
Staying away from schools like UTI and wyotech, looking at the Cat "Think Big" program.

not looking to spend $30,000 at UTI/wyotech to learn how to rebuild a small block v8. I know most of the basics I need real hands on experience. If i could find someone to teach me i would apprentice for $8 an hour hah.
 
#5 ·
UTI has the best diesel program out there and it is about 80% hands on. I have taken it personally. And I believe you can do it for around 11k. You won't find better training on diesels
 
#6 ·
I had 2 friends who moved to AZ from Santa Cruz to go to UTI... one friend worked for Toyota for a bit, the other didn't do much with it.

They both were way pissed when a UTi opened up in sacramento 6 months after they came back

If your committed the program will work for you
 
#7 ·
My opinion is get a job in the field you want and save your money, unless you know nothing about mechanics and working with your hands then I feel like school is a waste. I've worked with a plenty of guys who have gone to a Lincoln Tech, or UTI and they come out with this general "book" smarts. That doesnt cut it in the field when your foreman is pressuring you to get the job done in a timely matter. However, that doesn't apply to everyone. I have seen guy get a lot out of school and become good mechanics. I guess it all depends how much you pay attention. Quick question why the interest in just diesel?
 
#8 ·
I went to UNOH in Lima, OH. Rated in the top 10 schools in the nation for diesel. If you wanna work on heavy trucks theres alot to learn. I graduated there with an Associates degree in 2009 and i wish i could do it over for the sake of all the mistakes i made in my life at that time. If you pay attention and learn your shit you can land decent jobs but dont expect the schooling along to get you a job. They are looking for experience also. I worked at Swift transportation for over a year and began to hate it. Its just so boring... I was a tire bitch working my ass off for 11 an hour. WHAT A JOKE! I told my boss so many times I wanted to work on stuff im not building experience and im not making shit, blah blah!! After i got some experience I applied at ford and got a job in engine development. All I do now is build up engines with istrumentation and sensors for the Dyno. Then I sit on my ass an watch the test do its thing. Ive only been there 2 months now and I love my job man. Making better money and better work. At Ford the degree REALLY helped. But they also asked what I can do. This is where you need the experience because school alone wont teach you how to actually do it. I basically BSed my way in lol. Anyways, It is what you make it.

Now the down side... my student loans are raping my butt now. The interest built up a little bit and now im like 15000 in debt... Im only 23 so its like wtf?!

Idunno if you choose to go that route I could give you alot of advice I think. UNOH is a good school though, look into it.
 
#9 ·
You have to be a little wise about just going to work at a place for the experience though. Like InControl7 said it can turn into just another job doing the same thing day in and day out, it's a waste of time if you'r not learning new things. I would find diesel shops in the area, or area you want to live and call them and ask if they have an apprentice program. Shops that don't have a program, you're probably not going to have the opportunity to learn new stuff as fast or maybe not at all. I'll give you the best solid advice that I've been given and that's to stick with something. That doesn't mean to stay at a job that makes you miserable.
 
#10 ·
Yea thats what I mean... alot of fleet style shops are boring as hell. Id rather work on cars man. And the money isnt there like it used to be. At swift they didnt give 2 shits about my degree so I found a better place to work, a better opportunity. they were mind boggled when I left. There is ALOT to learn at that school though. They have a high performance program also, quite a few graduates go to nascar teams every year.
 
#11 ·
I took a break from traditional college and attended DADC in Denver. I went through the whole master tech program, over all was pretty easy except for hydraulics. The place was ghetto, but a positive experience overall.

After another stint at college I ended up working on Pisten bully snow cats at ski area's, and after that power generation equipment which involved extensive travel. Alot of good opportunities in marine/power gen/off highway fields, don't limit your self to the wheeled stuff. Being in LI probably some really good marine opportunities.

Sounds like you are knowledgeable already, but sometimes that dumb piece of paper makes all the difference.
I probably would not have got the job with the power gen stuff with out it. Power gen stuff pays well, with alot of travel/windshield time. Better then working on trucks IMO.

Pic of me in Antarctica, was working on some Lister Petters and Espar heaters inside of shelter. The power station was for Seismic monitoring equipment for US gov't:

 
#12 ·
INControl7 said:
Now the down side... my student loans are raping my butt now. The interest built up a little bit and now im like 15000 in debt... Im only 23 so its like wtf?!
I have this at 19 from 1 year of Mechanical Engineering school... Sounds like being able to get a job would be nice after spending that much. But nobody wants a 1 year Eng. student. Sounds like you need to get your priorities lined up... Count your blessings... Personally, I'm hoping to work for a family friend's trucking company until I can get the money to actually go to school for it. That's after my loans are paid off. Not knocking on you, but I's saying at 23, $15k in student loans with a full degree is no problem.
 
#13 ·
In LI is that big Coast Guard training facility? I know some one in the Coast Gaurd working on stuff making alot of dough, with paid training too. Not a bad gig, alot of travel if you want it.
 
#14 ·
Mentosman42 said:
Staying away from schools like UTI and wyotech, looking at the Cat "Think Big" program.

not looking to spend $30,000 at UTI/wyotech to learn how to rebuild a small block v8. I know most of the basics I need real hands on experience. If i could find someone to teach me i would apprentice for $8 an hour hah.
Out in Australia, Caterpillar is the way to go on Diesel tech.
 
#15 ·
Cummins pays their mechanics really well. Theres one around here starting wage is like $18 an hour. Theres guys making $30 an hour there.

GTN, yea it doesnt sound like much but my mother and I paid out of pocket for about 1.5 years every semester after the first year I was there. and 15k is alot when your only making 10-14 an hour and you have a family...
 
#17 ·
Honestly Ken, I would start looking at 2-year colleges that offer technician programs. Toyota along with other manufacturers offers a 2 year technician program where the student also graduates with a 2-year Associates' Degree in Applied Sciences. This may not seem like a big deal, but a college degree is a college degree and companies will look favorably upon that. I went through one of these programs in NJ near where I grew up and it was a good setup. You might want to look at Pennsylvania College of Technology as well. They have a large automotive program and I believe one that incorporates diesel as well. One of the nice things about it is that your diploma will say Penn State on it. Every little bit helps, right?
 
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