Washington Business Spring 2021 | Page 33

business backgrounder | education & workforce
Theron Harter , of Lebanon , Ore ., right , practices maintenance techniques during training at the John Deere Tech program at Walla Walla Community College .
wanted to go into and the career path I chose . [ It is ] the most effective way of starting my career faster .”
The two of them and their classmates , who spend their days learning about how to maintain today ’ s high-tech tractors , are part of a 25-year tradition at Walla Walla Community College . It ’ s part of a network of in-depth John Deere training programs across North America — but it ’ s the only one in Washington state . In fact , it ’ s the only one on the West Coast .
Students come from across the western United States to Walla Walla to be part of its John Deere Technology program . That ’ s mainly Washington , Montana , Idaho Oregon and northern California , but they ’ ve had students from as far away as Iowa .
A unique aspect of the program is that students must be sponsored by a dealership . They go back to put their training to work throughout the seven semesters of the program .
“ We are here to develop young men and women to work in the service departments and many of them move up through the dealership . The sky ’ s the limit ,” said Andy Winnett , coordinator of John Deere programs and the college ’ s director of trades and technologies . He has been with the program since it was started
“ I grew up loving engines . It was a great opportunity in an industry I wanted to go into and the career path
I chose . [ This program is ] the most effective way of starting my career faster .”
— Theron Harter , a student in the John Deere technician program at Walla Walla Community College .
in 1994 . He works with new students , whether they already work at a John Deere dealership or whether they want to get into the profession .
“ There ’ s no wrong way to get started ,” Winnett said . “ Most of the students are working at a dealership before they come here .”
Winnett has seen tractor equipment grow ever-more sophisticated , with GPS guidance , one-button settings for hydraulics , screens all over the cab , and on-board WiFi . The latest John Deere can cost nearly $ 400,000 with 32 on-board computers .
All that technology means that having the most up-to-date equipment for training is key . That ’ s where the partnership with John Deere is key , Winnett said . spring 2021 33