The Volvo Group, made up of Volvo Trucks North America and Mack Trucks, will expand its focus on training skilled professional vehicle service technicians through expansion of the Diesel Advanced Technology Education (DATE) program.
Beginning in early 2019, Volvo and Mack will partner with three colleges in Florida, Ohio and Texas to present the 500-hour program which will train students to work on either Volvo or Mack trucks, including electrical and electronic systems, software and engine diagnosis and repair, chassis components and powertrains.
“Modern truck technology offers many benefits to customers, but it also requires advanced skills for maintenance and repair,” said Roy Walton, senior manager of aftermarket training for Mack Trucks. “The DATE program will help our dealer network address the severe shortage of technicians qualified to work in this highly technical field.”
The DATE curriculum will be taught by dedicated OEM-certified instructors at Jones Technical Institute in Jacksonville, Florida; the University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima, Ohio; and Western Technical College in El Paso, Texas. DATE program graduates will receive an associate’s degree in diesel mechanics and a certification from the DATE program. They will be prepared for immediate employment at any of more than 400 Volvo dealerships across Volvo’s North American dealer network, or Mack Trucks dealerships across the United States, Canada, Mexico and other international locations.
“The DATE program provides students with the education and skills needed to excel in a career that’s increasingly in demand,” said Matt Flynn, director of Volvo Trucks Academy. “Graduates of the program will be ready for a technician career in our dealer network, equipped with hands-on maintenance and repair training to service the advanced modern truck technologies delivering unprecedented efficiency, performance and safety benefits.”
The American Trucking Associations’ American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) reported in October 2017 that the trucking industry will require an estimated 67,000 new technicians and 75,000 new diesel engine specialists by 2022.
