“It’s free training and it goes a long way. I learned a lot myself, and I’ve been doing this for 30-some years.” - Diesel Tech Instructor Brad Wake
A group of Francis Tuttle Technology Center students are a step closer to working at Kenworth after successfully completing the company’s entry-level training program.
Kenworth Essentials certifies students have an understanding of what life is like for an entry-level technician. Representatives from the company visited the Francis Tuttle Diesel Technology Program at the Reno Campus to present certificates to five students and instructor Brad Wake.
“Take advantage of it,” Wake said to students who had not yet completed Kenworth Essentials. “It’s free training, and it goes a long way. I learned a lot myself, and I’ve been doing this for 30-some years.”
Bill Metzger, Technical School Program Manager, said Kenworth Essentials has been introduced to technical schools and training centers across the country. It includes 32 hours of online training and two 16-hour in-person classes.
It teaches students the fundamentals of being a Kenworth technician and takes them through the employee introduction phase of employment. This means anyone who has the certification would be ready to work at Kenworth, essentially on day one.
“This is part of an onboarding process for our technicians,” Metzger said. “So for the students who have access to this and complete this training, they are going to be more appealing as a candidate for a job.”
Even if someone who earns the certification doesn’t work for Kenworth, they can include it on a resume and stand out to a recruiter or hiring manager, Metzger said. Dylan Taylor, a Francis Tuttle Diesel Tech student who completes the program in May, said he was eager to take the course because he would be interested in working for Kenworth.
“I had already worked some on smaller engines with my dad, and most of my family members are in trade jobs,” Taylor said. “I really like Kenworth and PACCAR’s program. The people at Kenworth are all really friendly and I like their truck models, especially the older ones.”
Metzger emphasized that certified diesel technicians can apply their skills across a wide range of industries. He also said there is a gap of skilled diesel technicians at the moment, and Kenworth Essentials is part of the effort to close it.
“There is a deficit of technicians at the moment, especially young, entry-level technicians,” he said. “At Kenworth, we strive to be the frontrunner on trying to keep up with the trends of the industry, and in order to keep up, we need to bring in young people.”