Power Equipment Technologies

Gadsden Technical College's Power Equipment Technologies program is certified by the Engine Education and Training Council (EETC).  A program completer who wishes to pursue this certification may take the EETC certification test without leaving the county.
A student working on a machine

Training for the 21st Century!

The purpose of this program is to prepare students for employment as mechanics of small gas engines such as lawn and garden equipment.The program features hands-on training in the servicing and repair of a variety of small gasoline engines, and even the preparation of sale merchandise.Students learn the correct use of tools, test equipment and receive training in communication and working practices.

Small Engine mechanics held about 73,000 jobs in 2004. Median hourly earnings of outdoor power equipment and other small engines mechanics were $11.98 in May 2004 with the lowest 10% earning less than $7.53.

The length of the program is 900 hours.

GTC Online Application 2024-2025

Power Equipment Technologies Curriculum

This program offers a sequence of courses that provides coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in the Transportation, Distribution and Logistics career cluster; provides technical skill proficiency, and includes competency-based applied learning that contributes to the academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning and problem-solving skills, work attitudes, general employability skills, technical skills, and occupation-specific skills, and knowledge of all aspects of the Transportation, Distribution and Logistics career cluster.

The purpose of this program is to prepare students for employment or advanced training in the power and equipment technology industry and for a career as a small gas engine mechanic.

The content includes but is not limited to all aspects of the gasoline engine services technology industry, and demonstrates such elements of the industry as planning, management, finance, technical and product skills, underlying principles of technology, labor issues, community issues, and health, safety, and environmental issues.

Program Structure

  • Power Equipment Service Technician 1
  • Power Equipment Service Technician 2
  • Power Equipment Service Technician 3

The Power Equipment Service Technician 1 course prepares students for entry into Power Equipment Service Technician 2. Students will learn entry-level skills for entry into the outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanical industries. Hands-on training combined with laboratory and classroom experiences gives the student a full understanding of workplace safety and organization; pre-service maintenance and set-up procedures; industry related math, science, and communication skills; part inventory identification; basic fuel and exhaust systems; basic engine service; basic tune-up; transfer systems and engine controls; lubrication; electrical systems; cooling and exhaust systems; starting and ignition systems; and basic two-stroke and four-stroke engines.

Power Equipment Service Technician 1
OCPCourse #Course TitleLength
ASER0080Power Equipment Service Technician 1300 hours

The Power Equipment Service Technician 2 course prepares students for entry into Power Equipment Service Technician 3. Students will learn entry-level skills for entry into the outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanical industries. Hands-on training combined with laboratory and classroom experiences gives the student a full understanding of two-stroke and four-stroke cycle engines; engine interior components; power transfer systems; industry-related power and equipment; employability skills; acceptable employee behavior; and entrepreneurship.

Power Equipment Service Technician 2
OCPCourse #Course TitleLength
BSER0081Power Equipment Service Technician 2300 hours

The Power Equipment Service Technician 3 course prepares students for entry into the outdoor and power equipment technology industry. Students will learn entry-level skills for entry into the outdoor power equipment and other small engine mechanical industries. Hands-on training combined with laboratory and classroom experiences gives the student a full understanding of portable generators; and basic principles of electronic fuel management systems.

Power Equipment Service Technician 3
OCPCourse #Course TitleLength
CSER0082Power Equipment Service Technician 3300 hours

Program Length

This program is 900 hours long. To complete this program, students must earn Occupation Completion Points (OCPs) for courses and pass required Engine Education Training Council (EETC) certification exams.

Entrance/Exit Requirements

Reading, math, and language competencies are pre-assessed. The required basic skills grade levels for this program are Reading-8, Math-8, and Language-8 and must be met prior to program completions.

Enrollment Dates

Go to gadsdentech.org or call Student Services at (850) 875-8324.