Diesel Mechanics

With diesel technology getting better (smaller, smarter, and less noisy), more light trucks and other vehicles and equipment are switching to diesel engines. Diesel engines are already more fuel-efficient than gasoline engines. Also, the increased reliance by businesses on quick deliveries has increased the demand on trucking companies. Many businesses maintain lower inventories of materials, instead preferring to have items shipped more frequently. The increase in diesel-powered vehicles, together with a trend toward increased cargo transportation via trucks, will create jobs for highly skilled diesel mechanics. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) predicts that employment for diesel mechanics will grow about as fast as the average for all careers from 2023 to 2033.

Diesel mechanics enjoy good job security. Fluctuations in the economy have little effect on employment in this field. When the economy is bad, people service and repair their trucks and equipment rather than replace them. Conversely, when the economy is good, more people are apt to service their trucks and equipment regularly as well as buy new trucks and equipment.

In the future, the increased durability and reliability of diesel engines may lead to fewer opportunities for diesel mechanics, but these losses may be offset by the increasing use of diesel technology in a variety of applications. The DOL predicts that "demand for these workers may be reduced as more firms turn away from diesel-powered trucks and vehicles in favor of those that require less maintenance and repair. For example, trucks used for short-haul transportation, such as local delivery services, are expected to increasingly be electric."

The most jobs for diesel mechanics will open up at trucking companies that hire mechanics to maintain and repair their fleets. Construction companies are also expected to require an increase in diesel mechanics to maintain their heavy machinery, such as cranes, earthmovers, and other diesel powered equipment.