LISLE, Ill. (August 27, 2024) – Navistar, Inc. (Navistar) is proud to announce the graduation of the latest class from the International Truck and IC Bus Uptime Academy. This 12-month original equipment manufacturer (OEM) technician apprenticeship program offers paid, hands-on training in a real-world setting, presenting a unique approach to technician training through a dealership rotation and on-the-job class assignments.

The Uptime Academy provides recent high school graduates and entry-level Service Technicians with the opportunity to work with multiple vehicle and engine types including internal combustion, like the International S13 Integrated Powertrain, hybrid, and batter electric, and prepare for a career as a professional Service Technician. Over the course of the program, co-designed by Navistar and our dealer network, students complete 3,200 hours of on-the-job training and 800 hours of classroom time and lab work. Each student receives a journeyman toolbox, laptop, and mentorship from Navistar.

For the first time, Uptime Academy included a visit to Navistar Headquarters in Lisle, Illinois. The nine graduates met with Fabio Souza, Executive Vice President of Service Solutions, learned about International’s Industrial Design team, and toured the company’s Vehicle Resource Center (VRC).

Graduates of the Class of 2023 - 2024:

• William Dekarske, Ascendence Truck Centers, Chippewa Falls, WI
• Mason Youngstead, Hill International Trucks, Eighty Four, PA
• Aaron Piergallini, Hill International Trucks, St. Clairsville, PA
• Joshua Klossner, Regional International, Buffalo, NY
• Peter Boyd, Regional International, Buffalo, NY
• Zackary Zanella, Hill International Trucks, Aliquippa, PA
• Miguel Sanchez, Rotex Trucks, Laredo, TX
• David Jones, Hill International Trucks, Marietta, OH
• Jorge Villanueva, Kyrish Truck Centers, Houston, TX

Since its inception in 2021, a total of 36 technicians have graduated from the Uptime Academy as Master Certified Technicians. Past graduates have experienced great success, advancing their careers from Master Certified Technician to Lead Technician and eventually Service Manager within their dealerships, reflecting the career advancement opportunities enabled through the Uptime Academy.

The next class of the Uptime Academy, which started on August 5, includes the first female student, representing West Michigan International, an authorized dealer for International Trucks. This reflects Navistar’s commitment to increasing the diversity of technicians within the Uptime Academy and commercial transportation.  

To learn more about the Uptime Academy, visit www.internationaltrucks.com/support/tech-empowerment/uptime-academy.