This content was published: April 27, 2017. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Rock Creek instructors prove anyone can go back to class and learn
Photos and Story by Janis Nichols
Diesel programs are constantly upping their game to stay up-to-speed with technologies that advance fuel systems, hydraulics, electrical systems and diagnostic software, to name a few. To ensure that PCC Rock Creek students are learning the most current curricula, their instructors are required to enroll in technical training classes.
Seven Rock Creek instructors and one technician, representing the Diesel Service Technology Program and the ThinkBig Caterpillar Diesel Service Technician Training Center, spent two days in classes at Rock Creek focused on current best practices and new technology.
The Northwest Diesel Instructors Conference training program began in 1993, and PCC organized the first nine years of the annual event before it moved to a rotating system hosted by different technical colleges. Russ Dunnington, Rock Creek Campus Diesel Service Technology chair, is credited with keeping the conference active and was key to having the group move to a rotation system.
Bill DeRousse, a fleet manager for 45 years with private, public and government fleet operations, gave the keynote speech at this year’s workshop. He started his career as a student at Lane Community College in Eugene.
Over the course of the two-day training, instructors heard from people representing McCoy Freightliner, Daimler, Cummins Pacific Pacific Power Group, Allison and CDX Diesel.