Caterpillar Builds Awareness for the Critical Demand of Dealer Technicians Through Cat Trial 10

FORT ATKINSON, Wis., May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ --Caterpillar created Cat Trial 10: Tech Test, a life-sized, fast paced obstacle course that tested speed combined with an examination of quality — two key factors in meeting the demands of customers. This initiative was implemented to raise awareness of the critical demand for service technicians and the endless opportunities of Cat dealer technicians.

The contestants, Cat dealer technicians and apprentices, were tested on traditional wrenching to computer skills, while challenging their endurance to solve problems.

Cat Trial 10: Tech Test is a nine-part webisode series that began airing on April 13. The series will continue to be released on the second Tuesday of every month for a nine-month span.

Watch the trailer, behind the scenes videos and upcoming webisodes here: Cat Trial 10 Tech Test

Cat Trial 10 occurred at Caterpillar's Edwards Demonstration and Learning Center in Arena B — the same location of the first Cat Trial, making it the optimum location for the obstacle course.

The two-acre facility allowed for Cat Trial 10 to be covered by a stable roof without concern for weather disruptions and offered prime lighting for the videography of the games to be conducted.

The whole process, from lighting to building the challenges and creating the off-road course, was done in an efficient four-day period.

Cat Trial 10 challenges include:

• Can Test, a mechanical aptitude challenge, is a proprietary test that Caterpillar developed 40 years ago. It is designed to test the applicant's ability to turn a 2D print to a 3D object.
• The Engine to Application Challenge demonstrates that when you work for a Cat Dealer, you will have opportunities that go further than the well-known, dirt side.
• The Troubleshooting Challenge tests the participant's ability to solve customer's challenges in a timely manner. In the challenge, the participants were required to match five common dealer services to five different customer challenges.
• The Cat App Challenge, a test of computer skills, analyzed the participants ability to fulfill a customer's part order from start to finish.
• The Safety Mindset Challenge tests the foundation of Cat dealer service technicians — their safety knowledge. The contestants are required to conduct a safety walkaround and then transport the part orders from the previous challenge to the jobsite.

Over the years, the role of a Cat dealer service technician has become a lucrative and high demand role in the industry with untapped potential. As Cat equipment and products continue to increase in demand, dealer service technicians are key to keeping the business and the industries it serves moving forward.

"The reason why I want to be a Cat technician is I really enjoy wrenching for a living. It's something that you don't do every day. Something different," said Ulises Perez from Peterson Cat and a Cat Trial 10 contestant. "You get to help your community."

Globally, Cat dealers currently employ 70,000 service technicians, with the estimation of needing to hire tens of thousands of additional technicians over the next decade. To learn more about open positions, click here.

However, Caterpillar differentiates itself by providing a strong focus on safety, career development, as well as continued education and training across the globe through their ThinkBIG program. It is a two-year program, consisting of eight-week intervals of classroom training intertwined with paid eight-week periods at a dealer shop.

"Working for a Cat dealer is awesome. Everybody is really helpful," said Rene Sanchez, a service technician from Wagner Cat and a Cat Trial: 10 contestant. "You have a big support system, especially since you're doing the apprenticeship program.

"As long as you show you're willing to learn, they'll help you. There's technicians that have been there ten or fifteen years, and if you have any questions or anything they're willing to help you out."

To watch the teaser and upcoming webisodes, click here: Cat Trial 10: Tech Test

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About Caterpillar
Since 1925, Caterpillar Inc. has been helping our customers build a better world – making sustainable progress possible and driving positive change on every continent. With 2019 sales and revenues of $53.8 billion, Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. Services offered throughout the product life cycle, cutting-edge technology and decades of product expertise set Caterpillar apart, providing exceptional value to help our customers succeed. The company principally operates through three primary segments – Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation – and provides financing and related services through its Financial Products segment. For more information, visit caterpillar.com. To connect on social media, visit caterpillar.com/social-media.

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SOURCE Caterpillar Inc.

Related Links

https://www.cat.com/