Hutch Wagoner: “Get out there and figure out what you’re comfortable with”

“The worst thing you can do is not try something you’re curious about and just end up regretting it later,” Hutch 瓦格纳说, with a nod. 一年级的 重型设备 & 柴油技术 student was recounting his thought processes a year ago as he was looking at continuing 他高中毕业后的教育. After a long road of living in different towns and trying different jobs, Wagoner is confident he’s found his calling working with heavy diesel equipment, and he’s eager to share his story.

Wagoner, originally from Summerville, OR, graduated high school in 2020 and immediately 进入劳动力市场. His journey so far has been one of exploring new places and constantly pushing the boundaries of his comfort zone, all while painting a clearer picture of what he wants his future to look like. 

“I got a job in Albany after high school and ended up moving to Salem,” 瓦格纳说,. “It was a big adjustment for me, moving from such a small town in Eastern Oregon to 一个更大的. I wasn’t too sure about it so I ended up moving back home again.”

After returning home, Wagoner started working on a farm, specifically handling the 农业设备. It was at this point he realized he really enjoyed working with the machinery and wanted to become a heavy diesel mechanic.

“My friends and I decided to relocate to Corvallis,“瓦格纳 回忆. “我们想要 to get out of our hometown and we were kinda familiar with the area, so it made sense 对我们来说.” When it was time for Wagoner to weigh his educational options, Linn-Benton 社区 College seemed like a step in the right direction. 从那以后，瓦格纳 been enjoying his time as a student in the heavy diesel program.

“It’s all hands-on learning here, and that’s what I like,” 瓦格纳说,. “你出去 to the shop, take something apart, learn how it works and put it back together. I haven’t taken a class that I don’t enjoy yet.”

Wagoner recalls one class project in particular where he and his classmates were tasked with taking apart a starter motor and an alternator and seeing if they could be put 重新组装并连接到发动机上. “我的起动马达第一次工作了。” 瓦格纳说,, beaming, “but my alternator didn’t. 但没关系，因为我必须 再试一次，第二次成功了. That’s what I like about this program, you don’t automatically fail just because something didn’t work out on the first try, you get to try again and learn from your mistakes.” 

When thinking about his teachers and 博天堂官方 in general, Wagoner describes the college 非常支持. “I got some financial help from the 博天堂官方基金会 when I started here because I had to spend so much of my savings on rent after I moved,“瓦格纳 回忆. “The Foundation bought two of my books for me that I really needed for my 类.”

目前，重型装备 & 柴油技术 program is about 40 students strong, with respective classroom sizes hovering around 20 students per class. 尽管 small size, the student body comes from a pretty diverse range of ages and backgrounds. “There are several students straight out of high school, many are close to my age,” 瓦格纳说,. “We also have an older gentleman who is here brushing up on his skills as he gets ready to re-enter the workforce. There’s all kinds of people here and since we all have the same interest we all get along.”

In addition to the supportive environment at school, Wagoner attributes much of his drive to the love and support he gets from his family as well.

“I’m the first person in my family to go to college,” 瓦格纳说, with a smile. “这是 the main reason I get up and keep at it every day. 我妈妈有时也会给我发短信 I’ll get a note in the mail saying ‘I’m proud of you’ and it means a lot to me.“瓦格纳 was also proud to add that he inspired his younger brother to enroll in college back home, and looks forward to both of them being able to turn their passions into careers. 

Now that he’s been in the 重型设备 & 柴油技术项目， Wagoner is already looking forward to a bright future for himself after he graduates. 

“I really like working on 农业设备, but if I can’t do that I want to have my 我在家乡有自己的商店，”瓦格纳说. “Just something small with a tight-knit crew working 一起解决问题.”

Most of all, Wagoner is glad he’s taken the opportunity to try new experiences and live in new places while pursuing his goals, and encourages anyone on the fence to 至少试着探索一下他们的选择.

“Y’know school isn’t for everyone but if you can find a program that’s exactly what you want to do and you’re passionate about, it’s worth pursuing,“瓦格纳 reflected. “Even if it turns out later on that you don’t want to make a career out of what you learned, you still have that knowledge you gained along the way. 我认为这很重要 to get out there and figure out what you’re passionate about and comfortable with.”

If you have interest in becoming a 重型设备 & 柴油技术专业学生 哈奇·瓦格纳，你可以 访问我们的网站 to learn more about our Applied Industrial Technology & 运输计划.