Hutch Wagoner: “Get out there and figure out what you’re comfortable with”

“The worst thing you can do is not try something you’re curious about and just end up regretting it later,” Hutch Wagoner said with a nod. The first-year Heavy Equipment & Diesel Technology student was recounting his thought processes a year ago as he was looking at continuing his education after high school. After a long road of living in different towns and trying different jobs, Wagoner is confident he’s found his calling working with heavy diesel equipment, and he’s eager to share his story.

Wagoner, originally from Summerville, OR, graduated high school in 2020 and immediately entered the workforce. His journey so far has been one of exploring new places and constantly pushing the boundaries of his comfort zone, all while painting a clearer picture of what he wants his future to look like. 

“I got a job in Albany after high school and ended up moving to Salem,” Wagoner said. “It was a big adjustment for me, moving from such a small town in Eastern Oregon to a much larger one. I wasn’t too sure about it so I ended up moving back home again.”

After returning home, Wagoner started working on a farm, specifically handling the farm equipment. It was at this point he realized he really enjoyed working with the machinery and wanted to become a heavy diesel mechanic.

“My friends and I decided to relocate to Corvallis,” Wagoner recalled. “We wanted to get out of our hometown and we were kinda familiar with the area, so it made sense to us.” When it was time for Wagoner to weigh his educational options, Linn-Benton Community College seemed like a step in the right direction. Since then, Wagoner has been enjoying his time as a student in the heavy diesel program.

“It’s all hands-on learning here, and that’s what I like,” Wagoner said. “You go out to the shop, take something apart, learn how it works and put it back together. I haven’t taken a class that I don’t enjoy yet.”

Wagoner recalls one class project in particular where he and his classmates were tasked with taking apart a starter motor and an alternator and seeing if they could be put back together and attached to an engine. “My starter motor worked the first time,” Wagoner said, beaming, “but my alternator didn’t. But it was okay because I got to try again and it worked the second time. That’s what I like about this program, you don’t automatically fail just because something didn’t work out on the first try, you get to try again and learn from your mistakes.” 

When thinking about his teachers and LBCC in general, Wagoner describes the college as very supportive. “I got some financial help from the LBCC Foundation when I started here because I had to spend so much of my savings on rent after I moved,” Wagoner recalled. “The Foundation bought two of my books for me that I really needed for my classes.”

Currently, the Heavy Equipment & Diesel Technology program is about 40 students strong, with respective classroom sizes hovering around 20 students per class. Despite the small size, the student body comes from a pretty diverse range of ages and backgrounds. “There are several students straight out of high school, many are close to my age,” Wagoner said. “We also have an older gentleman who is here brushing up on his skills as he gets ready to re-enter the workforce. There’s all kinds of people here and since we all have the same interest we all get along.”

In addition to the supportive environment at school, Wagoner attributes much of his drive to the love and support he gets from his family as well.

“I’m the first person in my family to go to college,” Wagoner said with a smile. “That’s the main reason I get up and keep at it every day. My mom will also text me or sometimes I’ll get a note in the mail saying ‘I’m proud of you’ and it means a lot to me.” Wagoner was also proud to add that he inspired his younger brother to enroll in college back home, and looks forward to both of them being able to turn their passions into careers. 

Now that he’s been in the Heavy Equipment & Diesel Technology program for a term, Wagoner is already looking forward to a bright future for himself after he graduates. 

“I really like working on farm equipment, but if I can’t do that I want to have my own shop back home,” Wagoner said. “Just something small with a tight-knit crew working and solving problems together.”

Most of all, Wagoner is glad he’s taken the opportunity to try new experiences and live in new places while pursuing his goals, and encourages anyone on the fence to at least try and explore their options.

“Y’know school isn’t for everyone but if you can find a program that’s exactly what you want to do and you’re passionate about, it’s worth pursuing,” Wagoner reflected. “Even if it turns out later on that you don’t want to make a career out of what you learned, you still have that knowledge you gained along the way. I think it’s important to get out there and figure out what you’re passionate about and comfortable with.”

If you have interest in becoming a Heavy Equipment & Diesel Technology student like Hutch Wagoner, you can visit our website to learn more about our Applied Industrial Technology & Transportation program.