Megan Tucker, a current Dual Enrollment student in the Diesel Technology program at Wallace State Community College, Alabama, is excited to complete her degree this summer. Tucker stumbled upon the program online and decided to sign up on a whim. Besides enjoying the program's support from instructors and other students,Tucker has benefited from paid apprenticeship opportunities that have given her valuable on-the-job training to supplement her coursework at Wallace State.
The Women in Diesel initiative is aimed at increasing the number of women and adult learners in diesel technology training and is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Wallace State has partnered with the National Institute of Women in Trades, Technology, and Sciences to increase the diversity of students entering the Diesel Technology program, ultimately providing more opportunities and jobs for women and other adult learner populations under-represented in the diesel technology field.
Mary Beth Dudley and Dusty Batemon are two of five women currently enrolled in the Wallace Sate Diesel Technology program. Since 2021, nine women have earned at least one short-term certificate from the program after the introduction of the Women in Diesel initiative.
Photo: Wallace State Community College
In the year before the Women in Diesel initiative began, the WSCC Diesel Technology program had no women enrolled, according to a press release. Since then, nine women have received at least a short-term certificate, and currently, there are five women enrolled in the program. Diesel by Distance coordinator Anna Beard encourages potential female students not to be discouraged by worries about physical strength.
“There are tools that all diesel technicians, men and women, use every day to help with jobs such as moving large tires or engines,” Beard says. “There are many ways technicians can adapt tasks to make completing them a little bit easier.”
According to Wallace State, other highlights of the program and career include:
95% of graduates with a Diesel Technology degree go on to work in positions with a starting pay of $16 to $24/hour, and master technicians can make up to $100,000.
Wallace State Diesel Technology students are receiving job offers before they complete their degree due to high employer demand.
The education program ranges from four months to 2 years, with day, evening, and weekend classes available.
Scholarships and financial aid are available to pay for most students' tuition.
No diesel technology experience is required.
Tucker is happy to see more women joining the diesel technology field, saying, “Diesel technology is not just a man’s field anymore.”
The Wallace State Community College Diesel Technology program will host a Women in Diesel Meet and Greet at the end of April for anyone interested in learning more about the program and what the career outlook is for this industry.
To learn more, visit wallacestate.edu/womenindieselinfo
