Walla Walla’s Outdoor Power and Turf Equipment Program Now Online!

WWCC’s new Outdoor Power Equipment Program combines web-based instruction with hands-on experience in an outdoor power equipment shop.  Course materials and assignments are delivered on-line, with the sequence and timing of materials throughout the quarter directed by the OPE instructor.  Students will interact with each other and with the instructor via the Discussion Board element of the web-based classroom.  The new structure of the program allows students to choose between two options – on-campus participation or off-campus participation.  On-campus students will have access to campus computers and will complete the shop experience component of the course in the WWCC Outdoor Power Equipment shop under the supervision of George Klein, OPE instructor. Students participating in the program from off-campus will need to have access to an internet-connected computer, ideally at home and will need an approved mentor at their workplace to supervise their shop experience.  Students who are employed while participating in the program will need to work with their employers to ensure that they have sufficient time to complete coursework, especially competencies.

Why Web-based instruction rather than traditional instruction?
Web-based courses add many benefits that traditional courses cannot provide.

Meet Chris Chase and Sam Bauer, two U.S. residents from Wisconsin living and working in Hong Kong as a golf course superintendent and assistant superintendent, respectively.  The online format offered at WWCC enables these students to further their education, no matter where they are in the world.  Another student, Daniel Johnson, works at the Fisher Lawn & Garden dealership in McMinnville, Oregon.   He is enrolled in the program while he continues to work, support his wife, and be a father to 4 kids without needing to move to Walla Walla to attend classes.   

 My name is Daniel Johnson and I work at Fisher Farm & Garden, John Deere Dealership, in McMinnville Oregon. I just wanted to share some thoughts about what I feel has been an essential education for me.

I am currently enrolled with Walla Walla Community College in their Outdoor Power Equipment Program. I was the lucky recipient of a first quarter scholarship to participate in this newly offered on line class. The first quarter ended in mid December, and I have to say being able to perform my job duties for Fisher, be a husband to my wife, and a father to my four children, while also obtaining formal education was ideal. The expanded expertise this class has given me has already proven to be very important and useful. This Certification will continue to anchor me deep in this career, and it is my hope that it also makes me a valuable investment and asset to this company.

I have worked over twelve years with a career as a mechanic, and I can’t stress enough the importance of continued education in this field of work.  The Equipment we work on is ever changing, and evolving, becoming more high tech, diverse and specialized. It is very important to build a solid foundation with a thorough understanding of the basics. Taking the time to really understand every system, simple to complex, from engine, to power train, to hydraulics, to electrical is vital to the operation, maintenance and repairs of a piece of equipment as a whole. It is essential in being able to assess our customer’s needs, as well as maintain, diagnose and repair any piece of equipment.

I don’t ever assume to know everything, and during my second quarter I look forward to many more “aha!” moments. As a mechanic I feel those are the moments that give us real confidence in what we do. I would encourage any of my fellow employees to seize any opportunity to learn! Read everything that you can get your hands on and be eager to expand your knowledge.  Open up conversations with coworkers about the classes they’ve taken and what were some of the most important things they learned. As a crew, take pride in being a shop that is knowledgeable. Most of all, take the opportunity to attend classes or school when it is offered.

I would like to take a moment to thank Pat Richards, Eric Stritzke, Stan Cuszick, and the crew at McMinnville for making me a part of what I feel is one of the best companies around. I am proud to work for a company with such a high reputation. I feel part of that reputation is from the standard of excellence it seeks. Excellence in the equipment it sells . . . , excellence in the services it offers . . . excellence in its employees they hire. One of the things I feel that makes Fisher so great is that Fisher not only seeks excellence IN its employees, but understands the importance of cultivating excellence FROM their employees. They achieve this through willingness to invest in superior training and education for them. As an employee I am very thankful.