The Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technician (HEMT) Skill Standards were originally developed in 1996 - 1997 by an industry coalition of HEMT employers prior to the development of TSSB guidelines for the development and recognition of skill standards. In 2000 the original skill standards were converted to include all of the elements and format required for recognition as defined in the TSSB policy publication Guidelines for the Development, Recognition, and Usage of Skill Standards. At the request of the HEMT Industry Technical Advisory Committee, the TSSB granted recognition of the skill standards at its March 28, 2000 meeting. Recognition was granted for another five years at the TSSB’s November 12, 2003 meeting after the skill standards were amended by the HEMT Industry Technical Advisory Committee.

Development

In 2003, Texas State Technical College - Waco’s Diesel Equipment Technology Program hosted a facilitated working session with technicians, training directors, and field supervisors to review and update the HEMT skill standards. Representatives from both public and private companies, such as Holt-Caterpillar, Cummins South Plains, Waukesha Pearce, and Dallas Area Rapid Transit participated in the review and update of the skill standards.

In the review and update, the content of the work- and work-oriented skill standards information was checked and validated by subject matter experts (SMEs) to ensure that it was still representative of the skills, knowledge, and performance levels required of workers within the occupation(s).

Industry representatives amended the Occupational Knowledge, Skills, and Conditions categories of the HEMT skill standards. Major amendments included usage of personal computer diagnostic equipment and more appropriate tools and equipment that addressed recent technology changes in work conditions. Industry representatives also combined and/or deleted several Key Activities to reduce repetition throughout the skill standards.

Importance to Texas

Labor market research indicates a cross-industry statewide need for HEMTs. The HEMT occupation includes the following jobs: bus and truck mechanics and mobile heavy equipment mechanics.

Labor Market Information presented by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) suggests that between 2002 and 2012 the number of jobs between both of these occupations is expected to grow by 17% for bus and truck mechanics and by almost 14% for mobile heavy equipment mechanics. Further, industries that employ these occupations (including heavy & civil engineering, building equipment contractors, and residential & non-residential building contractors) are all expected to increase their employment numbers by about 23% each, according to the TWC’s data.

The average wage for bus and truck mechanics was $32,635 per year for 2004. The average wage for mobile heavy equipment mechanics was $33,280 per year for 2004, according to the TWC.