(HARLINGEN, Texas) – Students in the Automotive program at Texas State Technical College’s Harlingen campus are getting a close-up look at the future of diagnostics thanks to new training equipment that was incorporated into its curriculum.
A state-of-the-art all-wheel drive dynamometer was unveiled to students, giving them a preview of the hands-on training they will soon begin.
“The new equipment allows students to simulate a test-drive in the lab without needing to drive the vehicle out on the road,” said Miguel Zoleta, the lead instructor of the program. “For instance, when load testing a transmission converter, the dynamometer allows students to both inspect and test it for shutter issues.”
The dynamometer will provide support for student success, particularly for those nearing the final stages of the program, Zoleta said.
Rudy Cervantez, director of alignment for the Automotive program, said it will give students an advantage when they enter the workforce.
“The all-wheel drive dynamometer will enhance our students’ credentials because industry employers will ask if they have hands-on experience with emission testing,” Cervantez said.
Zoleta said the dynamometer will provide students with a real-world experience.
“Our students will be able to identify the feel of a converter shutter when it’s positioned on the dynamometer,” he said.
The website onetonline.org projected that there would be 7,490 job openings annually in Texas for automotive service technicians and mechanics from 2022 to 2032.
In Automotive, TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree and several certificates of completion at the Fort Bend County, Harlingen, Sweetwater and Waco campuses.
For more information about TSTC, go to tstc.edu.