Genie Offers Free Enrollment in Online Aerial Technician Training Courses
To help meet demand for the next generation of aerial service technicians in the rental industry, Terex Aerial Work Platforms is offering free enrollment to the Genie Tech Pro Online Service Training program to community colleges and 500 aspiring aerial lift technicians in North America. Upcoming changes to the American National Standards Institute and Canadian Standards Association will mandate that only a qualified person should inspect and maintain aerial work platforms in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendation. This initiative is part of the Genie brand’s 50th anniversary activities aimed at “Building the Future” by increasing skilled service technicians in the rental profession.
Genie Tech Pro classes address the service, maintenance, repairs, diagnostics and troubleshooting of boomlifts, scissorlifts and telehandlers.
“The need for properly trained service technicians to work on, repair and maintain aerial rental equipment continues to increase as the market demand for this type of equipment grows,” said Bob Bartley, Genie senior director of product support and reconditioning, Terex AWP. “A trained technician not only knows how to read the equipment schematics and how to do the repair correctly, but also knows how to get the repair done in the least amount of time, with a minimal amount of parts expense. This results in less downtime for the machine and a higher return on investment for the company. Service technicians trained to work on aerial lift equipment are in high demand and can find meaningful employment opportunities in the aerial and rental industries.”
The Genie Tech Pro Online Service Training program teaches basic aerial equipment technologies, including electrical systems, hydraulics, machine inspections and control systems to new service technicians. It also offers courses specific to working on boomlifts, scissorlifts and telehandlers for intermediate and advanced experienced levels. Participants who successfully complete the Genie Tech Pro training program will have the ability to calibrate, adjust and troubleshoot with the aid of tools such as schematics, service manuals, laptop or table and connection software.
“The long-term benefit of training service technicians is that these participants are gaining the knowledge they need to be able to work on aerial lift equipment fleets early in their professional careers,” said Bartley. “From a prospective manager’s or employer’s perspective, this has a real impact on the rental company’s bottom line because machines that are properly maintained and in good working order are machines that are making money for the business. This means that trained service technicians will realize an increase of job opportunities in the aerial and rental industries.”
About the Author
Michael Roth
Editor
Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.