At a Glance
Students in the Agricultural Mechanics program at Franklin County Career and Technical Center have the opportunity to participate in the Timken Bearing Training/Certification program during school.
Overview
Approximately the eighth week of each semester, second year students in the Agricultural Mechanics Program at the Franklin County Career and Technical Center (CTC) can take a series of up to 10 online certification courses through the Timken Tech Series offered by the Timken Company. The Timken Company engineers, manufactures, and markets bearings, transmissions, motors, gearboxes, and related products.
Each second year student in the program obtains four to five hours of theory relating to Timken Tech provided by the instructor. These hours of instruction include reading, demonstrations (using many real life examples of bearings and seals that have been gathered by the instructor), lectures, worksheets, handouts, and a sample test. After completing the theory, students independently access the Timken website and navigate through the system, read, study, and prepare for the online tests in any as many of the certifications as they choose. The students can obtain Timken certifications in areas such as: HUBS, Tapered Bearing, Seals, Needle and Cylindrical Bearings, Ball Bearings, and Lubricants.
Upon the student successfully passing the test, Timken mails a certificate suitable for framing along with a sleeve patch and chevrons indicating the specific area of certification. Timken certification, which is a well-known and respected certification in this field, affords the Agricultural Mechanic students the opportunity to add industry certifications to their portfolios. In addition, the required computer skills, reading, vocabulary, and memorization skills needed to achieve the certification reinforce to the students that literacy is a basic skill necessary for the workplace today and in the future.
Origin / Implementation
The instructor of the Agricultural Mechanics program implemented this program during the 2011-2012 school year. It was discovered by the Diesel Mechanics Instructor while searching the internet for free training certifications. It was initiated to provide students with the opportunity to obtain as many trade-related certifications as possible thereby making them more employable in todays job market. In addition, this program reinforces the value and importance of trade-related academics.
Results / Impact
This program is not a requirement, but the instructor strongly encourages students to participate. As of the 2014, more than 75 students have had the opportunity to participate in the Timken Bearing training/certification program. Of these, 19 students completed at least one Timken certification. One student earned all ten certifications as a junior. In the 2015-16 school year, four students participated in the first semester and eight in the second semester.
Contact
Franklin County Career and Technical Center
Brian Yeager, Agricultural Mechanics Instructor
Email: byeager@franklinctc.com
