BROOKS, Ore. — Daniel Wilske has always been interested in cars and trucks.

It was during high school that Wilske, 21, really began tinkering under the hood. That led him to enroll in Chemeketa Community College’s new Diesel Technology Program, where he plans to jumpstart his career as a mechanic.

“I just like working on motors,” Wilske said. “I would like to travel around and fix machines for contractors.” 

On Feb. 1, Wilske and his lab partner, Luigy Arellano, worked together to reassemble a small Kubota engine, using a penlight and rubber mallet to align the crankshaft. The pieces fit like a 3-D puzzle, while bolts and sockets clinked gently on the metal table. 

Wilske and Arellano are part of the first cohort of students in the diesel program at Chemeketa. The college spent five years developing the curriculum at its campus in Brooks, Ore., about 10 miles north of Salem, before classes began in January.

Kevin Ruby, program chairman and instructor, said the two-year degree combines classroom and hands-on training to prepare students for an entry-level position as a diesel mechanic. Each student will also work a summer internship with companies like Daimler Trucks North America and Papé Machinery, learning to service and repair heavy equipment. 

Ruby, a Salem native, was hired in August after teaching automotive and agricultural mechanics for five years at Montana State University-Northern. 

“My job was to basically find everything to make a program, and set it up in here,” he said. “It’s designed around my experience with this industry, and what I’ve taught in the past.” 

The program is divided into six courses, covering every system they would see on a truck, tractor or combine, Ruby said — including engines, hydraulics, electrical wiring, clutches, brakes, wheels and onboard computers. 

“This program is heavy on the hands-on side,” Ruby said. “(Employers) wanted them to be able to start wrenching, and doing things that a mechanic would see on a normal day.” 

Skilled diesel technicians are in high demand, according to figures from the Oregon Employment Department, with 127 total annual job openings. The average annual salary is $47,784, with wages typically starting at $16 to $18 per hour.  

Chemeketa has leased and retrofitted a 10,000-square-foot building for the program at the south end of the Brooks campus. Marion County also contributed $100,000 toward equipment and infrastructure, and the governor’s Regional Solutions team committed $200,000.

“The largest hurdle in making this project a reality was finding a suitable location and building,” said Executive Dean Holly Nelson. “But we have a beautiful location now that is situated right next to our Brooks Center. I couldn’t be more excited for the college, the community and our students.”

Daimler Trucks donated two trucks to the program, along with a fire truck and ambulance from Chemeketa’s Emergency Medical Services Program, for students to learn about different diesel systems.

While the operating systems of diesel rigs are similar, Ruby said more advanced courses will focus on specific industry standards and even allow students to earn factory certifications from Daimler and John Deere. 

Ruby also bought a wrecked dump truck from the Oregon Department of Transportation, which he envisions as a long-term project for students to repair.

The first cohort of nine students will graduate in spring 2022. Ruby said the college is now accepting applications for a second cohort of 24 students. Chemeketa anticipates hiring additional full-time staff for the program. 

For Wilske, his dream job would be to travel and fix equipment for farms and companies around the country. 

“I just want to get started as quickly as I can, and lead me wherever it leads me,” he said.