FSCC students keep the rumble running

Students in the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Technician Training Program work to secure a motorcycle to a lift device as part of a training exercise at the program's training facility in Frontenac. About 40 students enroll each semester in the program, which trains and assists students to become licensed motorcycle technicians. Tribune File Photo

FRONTENAC -- Listening to the roar of motorcycle engines coming to life is an everyday experience for students and teachers at Fort Scott Community College's Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Technician Training Program.

The two-year program, which began in 2004, trains and assists about 80 students each year to become licensed motorcycle technicians. Students who take classes at the program's 20,000-square-foot training facility, 254 N. Industrial Dr., have a variety of career options to choose from once they graduate. Students can also transfer credits to a four-year university if they choose.

The program nearly doubled in size after its first year of existence and has stayed consistent ever since, program director Dwayne Hale said.

"It's been a good progression," he said. "We went from 35 students that first year to 68 in the second year, and back to about 40 students the third year," Hale said. "We have between 12 and 20 students already to start the spring semester."

Hale, a 2007 graduate of the Harley-Davidson program, said there is currently a waiting list for the fall 2009 semester, but program officials will need to pare that list down soon in order to keep the size of the program at around 40 students each semester. Officials do this so the program doesn't grow too large and students are able to learn in the proper environment, Hale said.

The training center, which covered 10,000-square-feet of learning space when the program first began, expanded by an additional 10,000-square-feet in 2005; extra space that was much needed by faculty, staff and students, Hale said.

"Absolutely, we had to have it," he said. "We had three bikes and nine engines the first year, and currently we have 50 bikes and 50-plus engines, so we needed it."

The new learning space contains work labs, one classroom, one computer lab, two instructor offices and a student break room, Hale said.

Students who participate in the program take about 15 credit hours in courses related to motorcycle technology, and must also participate in lab and classroom instruction, as well as complete general education requirements, to develop skills needed to become professional motorcycle technicians. Upon completion of the program, students will have accumulated 64 credit hours. Each potential new mechanic will receive an associate's degree in motorcycle service technology, and have several options available after that.

Students can use only the associate's degree to help them get a job, or they can transfer credits to another school, such as Pittsburg State University, to earn a bachelor of science degree. Currently, the most sought-after jobs in the motorcycle industry include technicians, parts specialists, and service consultants, Hale said.

FSCC and the PSU Kansas Technology Center have cooperated to make a student's transition into a four-year program as smooth as possible.

Since only a limited number of potential motorcycle technology jobs exist in the area, students who graduate from the program will most likely have to relocate to find a successful career, Hale said.

"Most people here really enjoy the program," he said. "About 20 percent will go on to PSU after they get hands-on experience here. It's more about the business side of it one you get to PSU. We can get anyone a job, the jobs are definitely there, but there are only so many jobs in this area. So they have to be able to relocate to go on and be successful."

Hale said students in the program receive hands-on experience working with more than 50 Harley-Davidson motorcycles and other training materials loaned from the Milwaukee, Wis.-based Harley-Davidson Company -- which has supported the program since its inception -- and other state-of-the-art equipment at the training center. Besides spending time in the classroom, students also participate in a summer internship program at dealerships in other states in order to learn all aspects of motorcycle diagnostics, repair, sales, marketing, machining, parts management and customer service.

"The first year, it's about 60 percent classroom and about 40 percent lab work," Hale said. "The second year, it's about 40 percent classroom and 60 percent lab work. Students usually get more hands-on experience in their second year, but it varies with each student's abilities."

The program also requires students to participate in a variety of student organizations, such as the Skills USA organization, a partnership of teachers, students and industry working together to help ensure that America maintains a skilled workforce. The national organization consists of about 285,000 students and about 14,500 instructors in 13,000 school chapters, including an FSCC chapter. The organization also conducts several local and state competitions each year that test students' technical and vocational skills in related programs. Students also participate in various community service projects, Hale said.

The training center in Frontenac is the only one of its kind in the country that deals strictly with Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Harley-Davidson is the oldest producer of motorcycles in the United States and the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in the world. It was founded in 1903 and operates more than 2,000 dealerships in 67 countries. FSCC rents the $400,000 training center, which is owned by the City of Frontenac, as a base for the program.