hey i am new on here and have many questions about CAT. I have recently started the diesel program at Tennessee Tech. I want to work on or for CAT machines, but sadly only have 1 cat engine in our shop. I want to learn everything i can about these machines but have no starting point. I might start the CAT university online program in the near future, but from what i have seen of it its just basics. I would also like to find out about any specialty tools used on CATs i might need. Thanks, any help is greatly appretiated
Hi, Diesel doc. I copied your post here to its own thread so that hopefully it'll get more exposure than where it was originally posted. Good luck in your schooling, and welcome to HEF.
if you want to work on cat machines so badly, why didn't you go to a college partnered up with a cat dealership so you go through a cat program and have an in at a dealership? do you have plans on owning a shop or working for one?
thank you. i'm new to this site still learning to navigate it
there are no schools around me that have a CAT program. though my instructors do have to connections for entery level jobs with them. i just want to absorb any knowledge on them i can. so any point in the right direction would be great.
A good place to start is by going to see your local service manager. He may know of the programs out there or can point you in the right direction. Best of luck.
Hi Diesel_Doc I actually work with Caterpillar and have some insight into training requests that we receive like these. Usually when someone asks about potential service training they are referred to their local dealer, in this case (if you are in the Tennessee Tech) area that would be Thompson Machinery. I would try calling the Lavergne office and speaking with an operator to point you in the right direction. They may some upcoming classes or some other offerings coming in the future that you may be interested in. Someone also mentioned colleges that partnered up with dealers, which I think would be the ThinkBIG program, I don't have much information on that but here is a link to the webpage about it if you're interested. http://www.caterpillar.com/en/careers/career-areas/dealer-technician/education.html
Welcome Diesel_doc, good luck with your future, always need good tech, you might want to look for a part time job somewhere in the industry also, school will teach you knowlege, you will learn skill over time, try to always keep an open mind, when someone tries to explain something to you, let them finish then reply, if you try to finsh their sentence then your not taking it all in. You will learn alot from mistakes, try to make it from others mistakes not your, go slow, its always less time the first than the second. You will make lots of good friends on here that will help any way they can. Overworked
South Georgia Technical College, Americus, GA Partnering Cat Dealerships with South Georgia Puckett Ring Power Stowers Machinery Corporation Thompson Machinery Thompson Tractor
You might consider speaking with the service manager or shop foreman at you local Cat dealer and see if it would be possible for you to sit in when the factory training guy comes around to offer instruction to the dealer mechanics.
funny you mention stowers. my instructor has gotten some students jobs there in the past. thanks for all the input.i didnt expect so many.ill get looking nto all these Thank you
Check in with your local dealership. If they have a Human Resource Department HR person will have the information on the program there dealership is using. Thompson is listed in the participant list for Think Big program. Your HR person can explain the sponsorship program and Internship time associated with it.
Just wondering how you like/liked tennessee tech, that is one of the schools I'm looking at to further my education?
it is great! i went in not knowing a camshaft from a crankshaft and now half way through it i feel very confident that i could be a good mechanic. our school has partnered with snap on so we are getting certified on all the newest tools and scan tools its awesome. and the 50% off snap on tools doesn't hurt. not only do the have a great program but they are a big help with job placement. i got on at bobcat only 4 months into school.
Thanks for the info