Essential Functions

The purpose of the essential functions list is to allow prospective students who are considering a career to be informed of the physical, emotional, and psychological demands related to training and employment in a field of study. These lists are provided to allow prospective students to make informed career choices by providing them with a summary of the physical abilities and personality traits that are generally required for the successful completion of a curriculum and result in employment in their field of study after graduation. For students to be successful in the Diesel Equipment Technology programs, they must be able to perform the following essential functions:

• Ability to Use Senses.
  • Visual: Acuity to identify correct operating procedures and to read fine print on equipment or other documents required in the operation of equipment in a diesel environment.
  • Hearing: The ability to hear sounds and emergency signals (with auditory aids or a full-time interpreter for the hearing impaired) and to understand a normal speaking voice without direct access to the speaker's face.
  • Smell: The ability to evaluate possible dangers involved in working with hazardous materials in a diesel working environment.
  • Tactile: The ability to feel heat, cold, or pain.
• Motor Ability.
  • Physical ability to walk long distances and stand for long periods of time; to lift, move, and transfer equipment of at least 50 pounds; to maneuver in limited and confined spaces.
  • Ability to work while in hot/humid and/or cold conditions.
  • Manual dexterity to efficiently and safely use equipment, power tools and hand tools, and other small and large equipment while wearing essential safety glasses and/or gloves and/or other necessary required safety gear in a diesel environment.
• Ability to Understand Need for a Safe Work Environment.
  • Practical awareness of potential dangers within the diesel repair field.
  • Ability to wear necessary safety gear, i.e. safety glasses, gloves, head covering, etc.
  • Ability to maintain a safe environment at all times in a diesel working environment.
• Ability to Communicate.
  • Ability to communicate effectively in verbal and written forms to class partners and/or team and to instructors.
  • Ability to write and perform routine mathematical calculations clearly and correctly as necessary.
  • Basic proficiency in technology (computers) as the diesel industry requires.
• Ability to Problem Solve.
  • Intellectual and conceptual ability for measuring, calculating, reasoning, analyzing, and prioritizing daily functions in today's diesel repair shops.
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with a sense of urgency without jeopardizing safety.
  • Ability to react and adjust as instructed by the instructor(s) during lab or shop instruction or based on customer's needs.
• Ability to Maintain Emotional Stability.
  • Ability to function safely under stress in today's workplace and adapt to changing staff and client/customer situations.
  • Ability to maintain composure and professionalism at all times in labs and work and lab/shop environment.
• Ability to Perform Practical Outcomes.
  • Ability to function under the practical guidelines of the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and of the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF).