March 18, 2013
Apprentice diesel fitters studying at the Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE’s Kingaroy campus will be able to get their hands dirty on the real deal after a donation of two large diesel motors to the college.
Downer EDI, operators of the Meandu coal mine, donated two decommissioned diesel motors which have seen service with the company in the Bowen Basin after they heard the TAFE college was looking for equipment for their students to strip down and rebuild.
The two engines are a former pit de-watering pump and a Caterpillar 3406 engine from a grader.
TAFE automotive teacher Bob McIntosh is particularly pleased the pump engine is computer controlled. This will allow his students to gain vital practice in computer diagnostics.
“It’s a struggle to get resources like this sort of equipment,” Bob said at the official handover to the college on Friday morning.
“To have something that has the electronics is just great.”
And the fact that the equipment is used (and needs repairs) is also good news.
“We appreciate getting end-of-life stuff because it has faults that we can diagnose,” he said.
Downer EDI Regional Training superintendent Tina Pascoe said the company was happy to help.
“And we’ll see if we can get more off your wish list,” she said.
There are currently five Stanwell apprentices doing block releases at Kingaroy TAFE and the company is looking at bringing more down from Townsville because of the flexible delivery of courses available at Kingaroy.
