Deere dealer helps grow technicians
Staff writer
Technical education programs offered through Prairieland Partners and AgriVision are getting a kick start at Marion’s Prairieland Partners.
Both a John Deere Ag Tech program and a diesel tech program that helps people go to a certified community college that offers a diesel tech program have entryways through the local John Deere dealership.
Marion store manager Chris Mathews has been working to get the word out on program availability by meeting with students and speaking in classrooms to high school students who might be interested in studying equipment repair.
“I’m going to try to get into more schools,” Mathews said.
“We have a kid from Goessel graduating in May,” Mathews said. “He’ll come over here and work during the summer, and then go to the ag tech program in the fall.”
A program graduate from Marion works full-time in the Marion store’s service shop. He does combine repair but can work on pretty much any equipment John Deere makes, Mathews said.
The education programs have operated for six to seven years.
John Deere has three Kansas schools where the programs already operate. More locations are coming.
“We’ve recently signed with Hutchinson Community College,” he said. “We’ve had employees doing training in the college a couple of years. The first year is general education with Hutch, then that second year they’ll go into the training program.”
Mathews said he was excited about the Hutchinson program.
“We could have a local kid sign up for that and come over here on Friday and work for me,” he said.
A training program also was launched recently in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
“We have a community college that has partnered with us, and they can do an associate’s degree,” Mathews said. “We’re a little more selective in which ones are targeted toward Iowa.”
The programs address a shortage in technical school graduates for the industry, he said.
Prairieland Partners hopes to be able to get more employees with particular skills the company needs.
“I’ve got one student in each program,” Mathews said.
Through the programs, students serve a paid internship, earn competitive pay with a graduation bonus, and earn an associate’s degree.
“One of the things we do is give them a toolbox and tools that they need for the first year in the program,” Mathews said. “John Deere tools have a lifetime warranty on them.”
Students who take the John Deere Ag Tech program are mentored by John Deere experts at Fort Scott, Southeast Community College at Milford, and Garden City.
Students taking the diesel tech program attend any certified community college that offers a diesel tech program.
In both programs, students are able to buy John Deere tools at a discount.
Tuition reimbursement is available. It is based on a student’s grade point average.
A sign-on bonus is paid if the graduate is hired by the company.