Volvo Trucks North America is expanding its focus on training skilled professional vehicle service technicians through expansion of the Diesel Advanced Technology Education (DATE) program. Beginning in early 2019, Volvo will partner with three colleges in Florida, Ohio and Texas.

The DATE for Volvo Trucks curriculum will be taught by dedicated Volvo-certified instructors at Jones Technical Institute in Jacksonville, Florida; the University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima, Ohio; and  Western Technical College in El Paso, Texas. DATE program graduates will receive an associate’s degree in diesel mechanics and a certification from the DATE program. They will be prepared for immediate employment at any of more than 400 Volvo dealerships across Volvo’s North American dealer network. 

The 500-hour DATE program will train students to work on Volvo trucks, including electrical and electronic systems, software and engine diagnosis and repair, chassis components, and Volvo powertrains.

“The DATE program provides students with the education and skills needed to excel in a career that’s increasingly in demand,” said Matt Flynn, director of Volvo Trucks Academy. “Graduates of the program will be ready for a technician career in our dealer network, equipped with hands-on maintenance and repair training to service the advanced modern truck technologies delivering unprecedented efficiency, performance and safety benefits.”

The American Trucking Associations’ American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) reported in October 2017 that the trucking industry will require an estimated 67,000 new technicians and 75,000 new diesel engine specialists by 2022.