High School Diploma or GEDFormal Training Program
Trade schools and community colleges offer diesel technology programs
Two-year programs usually grant an associate degree
On-the-job Training / Work Experience;
Growing up on a farm or doing farm work can be good preparation for this occupation. Not only do you need to know how to fix the machinery, you also need to know how to operate it and what it does.
Some farm equipment mechanics learn their skills on-the-job. They receive training from experienced mechanics. You begin by working as a helper. As a helper, you perform routine services and make minor repairs. As you get more experience, you work on more complex tasks.
May work over 40 hours per week during the planting and harvest season.
May work part time or not at all during the winter.May travel many miles to reach farms
FARM EQUIPMENT MECHANIC will:
Use testing equipment and hand tools
Work alone most of the time
May travel to get to equipment needing repair
May be required to take classes to update skills
Repair machines used in farming
FARM EQUIPMENT MECHANIC frequently:
Use hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
Stand or walk for long periods of time.
Bend or twist the body.
Kneel, stoop, crouch, or crawl.
It is important that FARM EQUIPMENT MECHANIC be able to:
Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
Use fingers and hands to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
Determine the distance between objects.
Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
Choose quickly and correctly among various movements when responding to different signals.
Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
Understand the speech of another person.