OTC is once again on the road visiting with our alumni! Today we stopped into R&R Truck Centers in Cleveland, OH. OTC Diesel alum Kyle Melton was busy at his station and took the time to share what he’s been up to since he graduated in 2015. Melton was working at his current location while still a student at OTC. He found the benefit of working in a professional environment while still a student to be beneficial, allowing him a very clear understanding of what the industry would expect from him once his training was completed. With his strong work ethic and upbringing he knew he would have to work for anything he earned. Nothing was going to be handed to him.
Melton is a Top Tech at R&R Truck Centers, which means he is like a mentor when techs in the shop get stumped on a particular service or serve more as a trainer when younger techs struggle with an unfamiliar repair. He is also Master Certified with Volvo & MACK and is also Cummins Certified on natural gas engines. “I remember thinking I was only going to work on diesel engines when I was in school. Now, it’s really anything that comes in the door I can diagnose and fix. Having an open mind and being willing to learn more is what makes a technician valuable to their employer.” Melton’s best advice to current students and young technicians, “Write down everything you do when servicing a vehicle. Make a pen the most important tool in your toolbox.” When it comes to buying tools, something Melton has personally invested $40,000-$50,000 in over four years, “If you’ve borrowed a tool more than three times, you need to buy it.”