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November 12, 2018Donation Shifts Learning into High Gear for These Capital Region BOCES Students
What do you do when a $20,000 diesel engine is dropped on delivery? Give it a new life as a learning tool for future diesel mechanics.
That is exactly what Albany Truck Sales did Friday when the Capital Region BOCES business partner delivered a Mack E-7 E-Tech engine to the Diesel Technology program.
The engine was damaged while being delivered to Albany Truck Sales so they decided it was more valuable to future mechanics than it could be to them.
“We could have worked on it, but it would have required a lot of time and we wouldn’t have been able to warranty it so instead, we donated it to Capital Region BOCES where it could be used by your students to learn and expand their knowledge and abilities,” said Mike Calcone, part’s manager for Albany Truck Sales.
Students went right to work examining the engine which has never been run and exploring how it compares to the copious amounts of older, greasier engines they work on in the classroom.
“This is great to have an engine with all of the latest technology to work on,” said Bradley Herrgesell of Niskayuna.
“This is a great opportunity for the students to explore what a brand new engine looks like and see how it differs from the others they are learning on,” said James Haas, work based learning coordinator for Capital Region BOCES.
Not only did Calcone, along with Albany Truck Sales Regional Service Manager Anthony Roy and Regional Part’s Manager John Klimes, deliver the 2,200-pound engine to Capital Region BOCES, but they also met with the juniors in Sam Frink’s class. They also spoke about the great need for diesel technicians that exists in the country.
“You guys have the marketplace by the hairs. There is such a need for trained diesel techs that are willing to learn, pay attention and be diligent,” Roy said. “Pay attention to what you are learning now and spend as much time learning as you can because it’s a great industry.”
The diesel tech program, like every program at Capital Region BOCES, benefits from strong industry partners like Albany Truck Sales that donate equipment and advise faculty and administrators on the latest in technological advances in the industry.
