Current News and Upates

                                                                         April 2024

Outside temperatures weren't the only thing "on the rise" around CCST this month.  Additional certification testing dates, our in house job fair, and class to employer engagement opportunities helped the CVHER program students in both classes reach new levels. 

The senior class has now completed testing opportunities with both the ASE Medium/Heavy Entry-Level exam series, and the EPA Section 609 Refrigerant Certification exam. We are pleased to report once again this year every student has achieved multiple certifications due to their successful training and passing exam scores!

On April 11th 2024 CCST held its annual Job Fair, with over 100 employers/businesses in attendance. Thirty two of these employers represented a potential industry related career path for the CVHER students. Thank you very much once again to the employers in attendance and to the CCST guidance office staff for organizing another very successful event. At the time of this program update over half of the senior class has been successfully hired into industry or committed to a military branch for after graduation!! 

The junior class has been working hard to master technical understanding and skills utilized in vehicle air and hydraulic brakes. Students should be able to evaluate and service disc and drum brakes on vehicles ranging from 3/4 ton all the way up to class 7/8 air brake equipped trucks. 

Both classes benefitted from evaluating a 2021 Freightliner Cascadia on loan from 4/17-4/19 thanks to Ryder and Performance Food Group in Elkton. We are very grateful to both for partnering with us to provide this modern tractor for students to see some of the latest technologies on the road today.

Lastly, but certainly not least! on Saturday April 13th 2024 Three CVHER students competed at the Maryland State SkillsUSA Conference Diesel Equipment Technician competition in Carroll County MD. Senior class student James Trego IV placed second in the state earning the silver medal! Senior class student Blaine Creese placed 5th in the state! and Junior class student Matthew Ricketts placed 7th in the state! We are overcome with pride and joy for these excellent student achievements. Their hard work and effort each day at CCST showed at each of the SkillsUSA technician challenge stations. Thank you James, Blaine, and Matthew for your hard work and for bringing added respect for this program through your personal achievements!!

Spring is in the air and in addition to the annual signs of the change in season, flowers and trees in bloom etc..., we are seeing the results of our student training successes through their industry certifications. This is one of the most exciting times in the school year each year , seeing our program students beaming with pride as they  earn  ASE and other industry recognized certifications. 

The junior year students achieved 100% completion successfully earning SP/2 Medium/Heavy Repair Shop Safety certification, and many students also earned Daimler Truck North America  DTNA (Freightliner, Western Star, Detroit) Medium/Heavy Truck Terminology certification.

Senior year students have successfully navigated almost all of their technician training here at CCST, and they are excelling as they are challenged by ASE certification testing areas dealing with; Medium/Heavy Brakes, Steering and Suspension, Electrical/Electronic, and Diesel Engines. As of the close of this months testing window, nearly every senior student has passed at least one of these highly respected certification areas, and in most cases students have already passed multiple certification exams.

Congratulations to all of our students for their dedicated hard work ethics resulting in these well deserved certifications.

                                                                         February 2024

The first half of the third marking period has flown by, and despite several interruptions to our daily schedule due to inclement weather delays or closures, both classes are on track with our current units of study.

Junior class students are engaged in learning about; air brake system components, wheel end servicing, and S-cam drum brake repair. The class has successfully mastered TMC wheel end service methods for both unitized and non-unitized wheel end work for proper wheel bearing preload. They are also working to master knowledge of air brake system FMVSS 121 air system pressure checks and proper drum brake stroke check/adjustment procedures.

Senior class students are mastering; driveline/driveshaft, clutch, and manual transmission service and maintenance. They are additionally working to understand basic gear ratio theory associated with reduction, direct drive, and overdrive. Senior class students are engaged in hands-on tasks for; checking proper driveshaft universal joint working angles, as well as driveline, transmission, and rear axle maintenance, using their abilities to research manufacturer specifications.

On February 3rd 2024, four of our students participated in the Maryland SkillsUSA Region 2 competition. Two seniors and two juniors (Blaine Creese, James Trego IV, Luke McCaw, and Matthew Ricketts) competed at the Region 2 host facility, the Carroll County Career and Technology Center. 

Using career technical knowledge and skills, as well as personal and professional workplace abilities learned here at CCST, three students have earned their spot at the SkillsUSA Maryland State Competition coming up on April 13th. 

All of our participating students have given us so much to be proud of as they demonstrated technician mechanical aptitude and professionalism. Industry representatives that served as judges at the skill level stations had high remarks for our students. The CCST Commercial Vehicle and Heavy Equipment Repair program is once again overwhelmed with pride for our students, because we do not specifically train for SkillsUSA success. Instead we focus on the skills, abilities, and workplace standards that will help these young people provide for the service industry and themselves. The SkillsUSA competitions help reinforce that our students have integrity and discipline in their career and technology learning here at CCST!

In the months to come we will be working hard as usual in the classroom and shop on those career skills, while at the same time preparing mentally for the state competition in April. 

On February 7th 2024, our program was once again blessed to have an amazing group of industry partners that help us to acquire the technical training items we need to give students real-world work experiences. 

Thank you so much to ARS Fleet Service in New Castle DE. for their generous donation of a nearly new OTC 10,000 pound pneumatic end lift. This vehicle lift will enable our students to learn to safely use an important piece of shop equipment, as well as provide our shop with the maneuverability and portability we need in our flexible workshop. 

October 2023

As the old saying goes, "time flies." So very true! The month of October flew by while the students were busy learning new skills, and polishing some old ones.

The junior students were focused on developing; basic hand tool and power tool usage, bolt and hardware sizing and identification, as well as precise measuring. They took some time away from measuring bolts to properly set lug nut torque on our trainer vehicle bus. This helped get the bus ready for our annual "Stuff the Bus" canned food drive.

Meanwhile on senior class days... The students learned about diesel engine lubrication and cooling system; operation, component functions, and system testing. They also participated in getting the bus ready from the engine perspective.

Cecil County Farm Museum, Heritage Day 2023

For the third year in a row the CCST Diesel Technician Program has worked in partnership with the Cecil County Farm Museum and Regional Agricultural Center(CCFMRAC) for "Heritage Day." This year 14 diesel program student volunteers helped to set up tents and complete necessary site preparation tasks at the farm. On the day of the event the students helped to direct visitors to parking areas and engaged with the public by providing informational displays about the diesel program. Each year we display some of our program tractors, and this year the students additionally worked to build hydraulic training boards that will be used for future shop work stations as well. These trainer boards focused on hydraulic equipment, pumps, cylinders, and directional control valves which are used on agricultural equipment. Our students enjoyed showing all that they work on with the public. 

Thank you so much to Hoober Equipment, and Atlantic Tractor for the hydraulic system components that were donated for our students to learn from!