|
MATC STUDENTS
RECEIVE RECORD NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF DIESEL SPECIALISTS
The jobs are plentiful, the pay is good, yet the diesel industry is in
great need of trained technicians. The Association of Diesel Specialists
(ADS) is working with educational institutions around the country to promote
the industry and recruit students. In Madison, seven students in Madison
Area Technical College's (MATC) Diesel programs have received $500 scholarships
for the 2000-2001 school year from ADS and the Ortner Educational Foundation.
The scholarships are
being awarded to five first-year students including Steve Burmeister of
Marshall; Roderick Lynn of Evansville; Justin Pulver of Argyle; David
Reierson of Rio; and Jeffrey Slaney of Lone Rock. Scholarships also will
go to second-year students Brian Boland of Mount Horeb and Andrew Miller,
a Middleton resident originally from Michigan.
The ADS/Ortner Foundation
was established in 1994 following receipt of a gift from the estate of
the late Mrs. Esther Ornter. Mrs. Ortner was the widow of Henry Ornter,
Jr., the first ADS Technical Director. The scholarship is distributed
to individuals demonstrating an eagerness to learn the skills necessary
to enter the diesel field. Twenty-five scholarships are distributed each
year throughout the country; 20 are awarded to first-year students and
five distributed to continuing students.
The scholarship is
part of ADS's TechSmart Program, a cooperative effort between the diesel
industry and education. The program is designed to provide skilled entry-level
technicians while addressing the continuing education needs of the current
labor force. The TechSmart program was developed to work with the most
prominent heavy equipment and agricultural education programs in place
around the country. MATC is one of the ten educational programs selected
to work with the TechSmart Program.
"There are a
lot of jobs with good starting salaries available in the industry,"
states MATC Program Director Dave Biegel. "MATC has been working
closely with ADS to encourage students to explore a career in the diesel
industry. By providing these scholarships, ADS is making an education
in this field more accessible."
MATC's Diesel Equipment
Technology Program is the only two-year associate degree program in the
state of Wisconsin. The program is designed to meet the needs of today's
diesel industry, which is rapidly changing due to computers and electronics.
Diesel companies need technicians with advanced diagnostic, troubleshooting,
and analysis skills. Graduates of MATC's program can work as diesel equipment
technicians, electronic systems diagnostic specialists, engineering assistants,
field service representatives, assistant service managers, and fleet maintenance
managers.
The Association of
Diesel Specialists is the worldwide diesel industry's leading trade association.
It is dedicated to the highest level of service on diesel fuel injection
and related systems. ADS has over 700 corporate and individual members
in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and more than 35 other countries. The mission
of the association is "to provide programs and services to its members
which will assist them in achieving success in the operation of their
businesses in the diesel industry throughout the world."
MATC is one of the
largest of the Wisconsin Technical College System's 16 colleges. It provides
a comprehensive curriculum of technical, liberal arts and science, adult
basic education and life enrichment studies and activities, as well as
customized employee training. MATC provides training in more than 100
career programs. It awards associate degrees, vocational diplomas and
certificates, and offers non-degree courses. The college serves all or
parts of 12 counties located in southcentral Wisconsin and offers instruction
through five campuses and various other locations throughout the district.
###
Last
Modified: November 21, 2000
top
|
