Glen Oaks Community College

Agricultural Equipment Technology

Do you like working with your hands and making repairs on machines? Do you like tearing things apart to see how they work?

The Agricultural Equipment Technology certificate and degree programs are designed to develop service technicians for the agricultural equipment dealers across all major equipment makes. Students receive state-of-the-art technical training on the latest major brand equipment through a combination of classroom instruction, hands-on laboratory activities and supervised occupational work experience at a dealership if possible. Classes for this two-year daytime, cohort program will take place at Burnips Equipment Company in Three Rivers, Michigan.

Program Information

Young man working at and repairing some equipment at the farm using a spanner
Agricultural Equipment
Technology Certificate
Two farmers repairing a trailer on a tractor
Associate of Applied Science
in Agricultural Equipment Technology

Is this for me?

Service technicians need good troubleshooting skills in order to determine the source of malfunctions. The job requires disassembling engine parts, connecting or attaching components and technicians need a steady and good hand-eye coordination. Technicians must possess good organizational skills and need to be able to lift heavy equipment, tools and parts without risking injury.

Employment Information

Farm equipment technicians typically work for farm equipment dealers and large corporate farms to diagnose, service, repair, maintain and overhaul the equipment sold by that dealer. Vehicles may include tractors, harvesters, and other heavy farm equipment in addition to dairy equipment and irrigation systems. A person in this field may also repair small machinery such as lawn and garden tractors or very old farm equipment if their employer offers that service to the public.

Due to the complexity of modern farming machinery, well-trained farm equipment technicians have become an indispensable asset to the agricultural industry. Farm equipment technicians use basic hand tools, precision equipment, welding equipment and power tools to service and repair combines, tractors, tillers, hay balers and other large equipment necessary for farming. Typically, a farm equipment technician works in a well-lit and ventilated service center provided by the farm equipment dealer; however, occasionally he or she may be required to assist farmers with equipment in the field.

Farm equipment technicians’ work varies by time of the year. During busy planting and harvesting seasons, for example, mechanics often work six or seven 12-hour days per week. In the slower winter months, however, they work a normal week.

Outlook

Employment of farm equipment service technicians is projected to grow 7 percent, about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2024 according to the US Dept. of Labor. Demand for farm equipment repairers will be driven primarily by the need for agricultural products to feed a growing population. In Southwest Michigan, current demand for agricultural technicians is high.