What should students learn in a good Truck Mechanic school?

I believe good instruction in Heavy Duty Truck Technology should include four areas of study:

·         Teaching entry level core skills in the technical aspects of repair.

·          Helping give students the tools with which they can continue learning and advancing in the career.

·          Providing the experience of working with others as part of a group.

·          Instilling the habits of working safely and with consideration for the environmental impact of their actions.

Giving students the means to obtain the all-important first job and successfully performing in that job depends on the core skillset the student brings with him or her. Certain basic ideas and capabilities are paramount in efficient repair of any vehicle system. Among these core competencies are: knowledge of electrical circuit design and troubleshooting, brake system function and failure patterns, proper periodic maintenance procedures, and steering, suspension, and driveline function and design. These four areas encompass the bulk of the day-to-day workload in any repair facility, and competence here will give basic skills for job performance. Hand in hand with the knowledge of specific systems is competence in basic tool and equipment use. 

Continued learning is the means to advancement and as most training is now done online, students need to be able to efficiently navigate websites and diagnostic software. Besides formal training, student self-improvement will utilize online resources and these must be used discriminately in order to extract useful information. Diagnostic information is now accessed online, and in the future more of it could be based on social media, real-time type formats. I believe this will be one of the biggest changes that will be seen in the near future, as dealers and the aftermarket move diagnostics completely into the digital realm. The technicians who are ahead of the curve will be in the best position for advancement.

Working in groups is an important skill in any job, but mechanics tend to work as individuals and being helped only on an as-needed basis, not as a function of day-to-day operation. That said, working together is still an important part of working in a shop atmosphere. Wherever we work, a group effort is needed and all employers look for employees who demonstrate an ability to work with other personalities and in various situations. Everyone learns from fellow employees, and those who work best with others learn the most, and the most quickly.

Working safely is extremely important not only to the individual, but for all those he or she works with. The repair industry provides ample opportunities for injury from flying objects, burns from welding and heating, contact with moving parts and equipment, falls from ladders or vehicles, crushing or trapping injuries, chemical inhalation or skin contact, and from lifting, pushing, or pulling. Each year thousands of mechanics are killed or injured, and most of these incidents are completely preventable. Hazards are mitigated by the use of appropriate safety gear, by following proper procedures, and by notifying supervisors of dangerous situations. Students need to realize that workplace safety is largely in the hands of the employee. Safety also extends beyond the shop, to the larger environmental aspects of waste generation and discard product handling. Waste oil and antifreeze, used batteries, and takeoff brake chambers are among the waste items generated in repair, and students must learn to handle each one properly.

The repair industry is on the verge of change. Some changes are evolutionary, as new technologies enter diagnostics and wireless communication is expanded. Other changes will be more drastic, changing the way things are done on a basic level. Students who are prepared for all these aspects will be more employable, will command higher wages, and have more upward mobility. The responsibility of learning will be more focused on individual effort to keep up with change. School needs to be regarded as an essential starting point to a career, an opportunity to get basic but valuable skills for the future. The technician of tomorrow will be as accomplished on a laptop as with a torque wrench, and the best will earn a wage above that traditionally found in the industry.