Building a Career & Confidence: An Apprentice’s Start in Diesel Technology

Confidence is key especially when starting on a new career path. Nick Devecchio, now a Technician Apprentice in Egg Harbor, NJ, entered the diesel industry with no experience and was paired with a peer mentor who taught him the trade along with the importance of trusting his own abilities.

Prior to joining the Egg Harbor team, Nick worked as a low voltage technician installing smart systems; however, he wanted a career that made him want to get up and go to work every day. Years of tinkering with dirt bikes and home projects inspired Nick to restart his career and pursue diesel technology. Through an Indeed search, Nick found Indel Power Group’s Technician Apprentice Program and decided to apply.

Unfortunately, the original position was already filled by Mary Williams, now a Technician in Egg Harbor. “Nick was eager. He wanted this opportunity. He had a strong background in electrical work, which is the foundation of a lot of repairs. I knew Nick could grow from that prior experience, but I couldn’t take on two apprentices at the same time” says Gary Wright, On-Highway Service Manager at Egg Harbor. Over the next few months, Nick persistently kept in touch with Gary. By June 2023, with Mary flourishing in her role, Gary took Nick on board as a second apprentice.

Upon hiring, Nick was paired with peer mentor Jeremy Green to facilitate his training. When asked about his experience working with Nick, Jeremy said, “Nick came into this role knowing next to nothing about diesel engines. We worked together every day, and he has built a career that he can continue to grow in. Through my experience as a mentor, I have also had the opportunity to relearn the basics while teaching Nick, making me a better technician. I know Nick will be a fantastic technician as he gains more experience.”

Despite his natural talent for solving complex problems and his electrical background, Nick lacked confidence in his early days as a technician. “I was nervous to take something apart and not be able to successfully put it back together. I was worried that maybe this wasn’t the career path for me, but after talking to Jeremy, I felt reassured that I had made the right choice,” said Nick. Jeremy assured Nick of his strengths by referencing a 20-hour kingpin job they had worked on together. Nick was able to recount every detail after the job was complete even months later. “That was the moment when Nick’s confidence clicked. The support from his mentor and the rest of his team in the shop gave him what he needed to succeed: confidence in himself,” explains Gary.

Now, after one year in the program, Nick has found his place and his fellow technicians have continued to help him learn. He recently finished electrical wiring training and Allison Transmission classes. Inspired by early training with the Mt. Laurel transmission team, Nick has set his sights on becoming a transmission specialist. “I want to continue to grow from here and get to that master level of knowledge with transmissions,” Nick said when asked about his future career path.

The technician apprentice program has continued to be a great success, especially in the Egg Harbor location. “The Technician Apprentice Program is essential for building the next generation of technicians. For it to be successful, we need everyone in the shop to be supportive of the program and the apprentices. We’ve been able to create the right environment in Egg Harbor to where we now have two successful apprentices moving up as technicians in less than a year,” says Jeremy.