Case Construction Equipment and Fiat Powertrain Technologies recently donated a new Case diesel engine to the Murray-Calloway County Area Technology Center when the vocational school decided to add a diesel course to its engine curriculum. Case dealer McKeel Equipment, Paducah, Ky., engineered the donation.

Murray-Calloway County Area Technology Center Principal Dennis Harper voiced his desire to add diesel engines to his class curriculum to the school’s advisory board last fall. Andy McKeel, sales manager of McKeel Equipment — a Case dealer with branches in Murray and Paducah, Ky. — is on the school’s advisory board and heard Harper’s plea.

“We would most likely be the ones hiring anyone who goes through the course since we are the only diesel repair shop in town, so the addition of the diesel training benefits our business,” McKeel said. “At the same time, it gives the students broader choices when they graduate.”

Case/FPT donated a 125-hp fuel-injected, Nef 4-cylinder common rail, fuel-injected diesel engine to disassemble and rebuild in the class. In addition to the new engine, McKeel Equipment also donated older Case diesel engines so students are exposed to different types of equipment.

“It is important for Case to improve the competency of technical students across the country,” said Bill Seidel, Case vice president of product marketing. “With the cooperation of one of our sister companies, FPT - Fiat Powertrain Technologies, we were able to deliver a new 4.5-liter turbocharged engine.

“It’s widely known that there’s a shortage of qualified technicians in the construction industry. Case believes that the hands-on experience in troubleshooting and repairing engines will interest students in the construction side of diesel engine repair and maintenance work.”

Harper indicated that roughly 25 percent of his students enter an agriculture or construction career as equipment operators or mechanics. He believes the equipment donation may help boost those numbers.

“Our school gives these teens an advantage over students who have never worked with an engine before as they move on with their education at the state schools,” Harper said. “Hands-on experience with diesel engines will open their eyes and spark their interest. We are anxious to get the new engine running.”

Case Construction Equipment, Racine, Wis., sells and supports a full line of construction equipment including loader/backhoes, articulated trucks, excavators, telescopic handlers, motor graders, wheel loaders, vibratory compaction rollers, crawler dozers, skid steers, compact track loaders and rough-terrain forklifts.