BANGOR, Maine — Eastern Maine Community College’s Diesel, Truck and Heavy Equipment Program accepted a generous donation from Pike Industries, in the form of a 2006 International Eagle diesel truck.
Lowell Gardner, the program chair, says the truck is equipped with a new hydraulic system that the program has never used before.
It also has an ABS breaking system and an air ride suspension the students can gain experience with in the program.
This truck will replace the shop's 1992 model that the students have been working on and allow the class to work with the more modern computer technology that is present in vehicles on the road today.
Equipment donations, like this truck from Pike Industries, allows the EMCC program provide valuable hands-on learning experiences.
In the program, students learn about heavy equipment systems, and then can take those vehicles and equipment apart and put them back together again.
These hands-on skills are part of the reason 13 out of 15 students, who are set to graduate this spring, have already secured jobs.
One of those current Diesel students is Levi Day, who was the summer intern for Pike Industries.
Day was the first company intern who from the Bangor area or EMCC.
He is continuing his work with the New Hampshire based company (who also serve Vermont and Maine) throughout the year and will be working for them after graduation.
EMCC recently highlighted Pike Industries for employing a current Diesel student and for the generous donation.
EMCC President, Dr. Lisa Larson says, “We are very grateful for companies like Pike Industries who continue to work with our programs and give so graciously. It is because of generosity like theirs, that EMCC is able to offer such a high-quality education to our students and prepare them so well to enter the workforce. Thank you again to Pike Industries for fostering this great relationship with our Diesel, Truck and Heavy Equipment program and its students."
