The partnership between the diesel technology program at San Jacinto College and the Cummins Southern Plains company exemplifies how working together can be a win-win situation for students and industry.

San Jacinto College graduates Alex Canales, left, and Nolan Stevens are shown at the Cummins Southern Plains facility, located in east Houston. Canales, who graduated from San Jac in 2005, works as a utility technician. Stevens graduated from San Jac in 1994 and is a service supervisor at Cummins.

Cummins has generously supported San Jacinto College for many years with donations of equipment and scholarships. In return, the College’s diesel technology program produces well-trained graduates for careers in a specialized and challenging field, many of who have become exemplary employees at Cummins.

At the February Board of Trustees meeting, San Jacinto College presented a plaque of appreciation to Cummins to honor the company for 21 years of support. During that time, Cummins has contributed more than $50,000 to the College’s diesel technology program for operational supplies and scholarships. Cummins has also contributed an estimated $250,000 worth of new engines, tools and software applications to enable San Jacinto College students to keep up with industry trends and developments.  In addition, Cummins employees have provided valuable guidance and counsel as members of the College’s diesel technology advisory committee.

Cummins and San Jacinto College partner in an ongoing internship program. Don Clayton, San Jacinto College’s diesel technology program manager, says the internship enables students to get valuable on-the-job training. “Cummins operates two shifts, a morning shift and an afternoon shift, which allows students in the internship program to work the evening shift and still maintain full-time enrollment in our diesel tech program,” commented Clayton.

In selecting interns for the program, Cummins looks for students who have knowledge of basic diesel technology and fuel systems operations, logical troubleshooting skills and basic shop work habits that are reliable, have a respect for safety and cleanliness and a strong desire to continue their education. John Mikolaitis, Vice President of Cummins’ Automotive and Gulf Coast Operations, says, “San Jacinto College has worked well with us to identify students that have all of these credentials.”

According to Clayton, demand for qualified diesel technicians is at an all-time high in the Houston area. “We simply cannot fill the requests we get each day for diesel technicians,” Clayton noted. He also added that diesel technology is a career that offers job security, excellent pay and good benefits.

San Jacinto College offers both certificate and associate degree options in diesel technology at the North campus, located at 5800 Uvalde in the North Channel area. For more information, please call 281-998-6150 or visit http://www.sanjac.ecu/.