Hey, my name is Marcus Collins Jr, and I am from Floydada, Texas. I have just graduated this year and I plan on being a diesel mechanic. So, I will be attending diesel mechanic school in the fall at South Plains College. I am very thankful for and interested in this wonderful opportunity that y’all had allowed me to have.
Growing up as a kid I was always around tractors and eighteen-wheelers. My grandfather, dad, uncles, and many more relatives have always been involved in agriculture and semi-trucks. Over the years, I have grown this passion to work on eighteen-wheelers or anything that runs off diesel. For the summer, in my current internship, I am working in a diesel mechanic shop for Amarillo Road Company. What they have me working on always varies, which is the best part about diesel mechanics because it is always something different to do.
As for the first 2 weeks, we have been working on a Komatsu loader and a Sterling truck. The u-joint on the rear differential of the Sterling truck went out while on the road. So, we had to replace that and while it was already in the shop, we changed the oil to the motor and serviced it. After we got done working on that the Komatsu loader came in stating that all four-wheel seals were leaking, due to the lack of greasing them. Working on the Komatsu loader is an excessively big task due to the massive size of the differentials, weighing about 6000 pounds (about 2721.55 kg). So, it has taken us about 4 weeks to just change the front 2-wheel seals and the pinion seal. We are not even close to finishing working on this loader.
My other co-worker is still working on the loader. A Peterbilt came in stating that they had an air leak. So, I am currently working on that, and boy let me tell you, it is an exceedingly challenging task, but I am willing to get it done no matter what it takes. I have already taken the old part off and put on the new one, but I still have an air leak, so come tomorrow morning I will try to diagnose the problem and get the truck back on the road as soon as possible.
Some goals that I have in communication are wanting to ask excellent-quality questions, and finding the right people that have the connections that I need to be successful. One leadership goal that I have in my community is showing the younger kids how to overcome obstacles. In my work environment, one leadership goal that I have is to have my older co-workers believe in my work and show them the quality of my work. Lastly, the goal to expand my professional network is wanting to get out more and meet more people.
