Ranken Wentzville Set to Expand to House New Diesel Technology Program and Growing Enrollment
ST. LOUIS, MO., September 2, 2014 – In late August, Ranken Wentzville began construction of a two-story building designed to house a new Diesel Technology program and to accommodate for increased enrollment. To celebrate the expansion, students, staff, faculty and administrators from Ranken Technical College’s main campus and the Wentzville location joined local aldermen, city officials and business partners for a groundbreaking ceremony at the construction site. The new building will boast 35,000 sq. feet of garage space, a modern student lounge and multipurpose educational centers.
Ranken’s Diesel Technology program was created to meet the growing need for heavy-duty service professionals in the transportation industry. Diesel technicians today must be prepared to work on a variety of systems as well as the high-end multiplexed networks of computers and electronics. The program is modeled to meet Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) standards, and it will prepare graduates to be career-ready diesel service technicians.
“There is a huge demand on the student and employer side for a Diesel Technology program,” said Automotive Division Head Dan Kania. “We have a large pool of prospective students who want to enroll in the program and many that say they will come back for the diesel program even after they have finished another Automotive program.”
Pictured LtR – Ranken President Stan Shoun, Wentzville Mayor Nick Guccione, Alderman Chris Gard, Alderman Michael Rhoades, Alderman Cheryl Kross