Heavy Vehicle Technology

The Heavy Vehicle Technology diploma program offers training in the practical aspects of diesel engine maintenance and major heavy vehicle subsystems. Students receive classroom and laboratory training using modern test equipment and specialized tools. Students gain hands-on experience in a realistic shop setting where they must demonstrate specific proficiencies. Emphasis is placed on logical diagnostic methods and repair procedures. This program prepares graduates for entry-level employment in the modern heavy vehicle service center in positions such as bus, truck, heavy construction technicians and diesel engine specialists.

Students gain hands-on experience in a realistic shop setting where they must demonstrate specific proficiencies, with emphasis placed on logical diagnostic methods and repair procedures. Students attend class four (4) days per week on various schedules, and the program length is approximately 15 months (including breaks and holidays). Within the heavy vehicle coursework, students are taught proper refrigerant handling; EPA certification SECTION 608 and 609 will be available through special testing.

Recognized for opportunity. In 2025, Advanced Technology Institute was named an Opportunity College by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education.

Employers come to you. A Program Advisory Committee of local employers helps keep ATI's curriculum current, and employers recruit on campus year-round — through hiring events and ATI's annual Career Fair — so you can connect with them before you graduate.

Real equipment, real partners. ATI is the exclusive College Co-op partner of Liebherr North America — up to six students are selected each year, with a potential signing bonus of 50% of tuition upon full-time hire. You train on road-worthy tractor-trailers and off-road equipment such as skid steers, forklifts, and excavators, working with manufacturer content from Cummins, Detroit Diesel, Freightliner, and Kenworth.

Training programs at Advanced Technology Institute are open to individuals who have satisfied the admissions requirements. To apply for admission, applicants should contact Advanced Technology Institute to arrange a personal interview and tour of the school. Applicants are under no obligation until they complete the admissions interview, enrollment agreement, and pay their enrollment deposit.

At Advanced Technology Institute, instruction is offered in five-week modules, and three consecutive modules are equal to a student's semester, which is 15 weeks. Students attend class five (5) hours per day, four (4) days per week on various schedules; students cannot be guaranteed a specific schedule. To complete the program requirements in a timely manner, students must carry a minimum load of 12 credit hours per semester, which is considered full time. Program length is approximately 15 months (including breaks and holidays) for all schedules.

Our start dates are as follows:

• August 31, 2026
• October 5, 2026
• November 9, 2026
• December 14, 2026

Cost of Attendance

The Heavy Vehicle Technology program is approximately 15 months in length and comprises 48 semester credit hours. Program costs are as follows:

• Tuition: $28,320 (four semesters at $7,080 each)
• Technology Fee: $1,560
• Total Program Cost: $29,880
• Application Fee: $50 (one-time, non-refundable fee, waived for veterans and active duty)

When required, use of textbooks for the time needed to complete courses is provided at no cost. Two ATI school uniform shirts, one jacket, one hat, and one pair of safety glasses are provided to all students at no additional charge. In addition to the tuition and fees costs, the approximate cost of safety shoes and extra uniform shirts is approximately $180 for all programs. Students who are receiving benefits under the Veteran's Administration or Military Tuition Assistance programs are charged per credit hour.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available to help qualified students pay for their education. Advanced Technology Institute offers many financial aid options to help students and their families determine the best way to pay for an education. Sources of financial aid include:

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
• Federal Work-Study
• Federal Direct Subsidized Loan
• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan
• Federal Direct PLUS Loan
• Chapter 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill and Montgomery GI Bill educational benefits
• Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment benefits
• Military Tuition Assistance
• Advanced Technology Institute Scholarships
• Private loan program serviced by Tuition Options
• State Aid administered under the state's Employment Commission or Vocational Rehabilitation
• Employer Assistance
• Benefits funded through the U.S. Department of Labor via the local Hampton Roads Workforce Council

Advanced Technology Institute students may make monthly in-school payments to the Institute. The in-school payments may reduce the amount of money students borrow and must repay after they graduate or withdraw.

Total program tuition is $28,320, charged as four semesters of $7,080 each (tuition only; technology and application fees are billed separately).

The Heavy Vehicle Technology diploma prepares graduates for entry-level employment in the modern heavy-vehicle service center. Building on the program's coursework, graduates pursue roles such as:

• Diesel Technician
• Truck and Bus Technician
• Heavy Construction Equipment Technician
• Diesel Engine Specialist
• Preventive Maintenance Technician
• Fleet Maintenance Technician

Students choose to attend Advanced Technology Institute because they want to gain the required skills necessary for entry into fast-growing job fields. Among those necessary skills is the ability to prepare for and conduct a job search. Advanced Technology Institute works with each student every step of the way as graduation nears and students begin an employment search. Advanced Technology Institute's dedicated Career Services Advisors are ready to work one-on-one with students to:

• Review résumé
• Assist with interviewing techniques
• Discuss career choice
• Provide help in career/job-market research
• Assist with marketing the student's skills to potential employers
• Generate job leads and offer networking opportunities for employers and students

Career Services develops and maintains relationships with employers to determine hiring needs and to facilitate employment of students and employment of graduates in positions related to their fields of study. Career Services assists students by developing interview skills, résumé preparation, and guidance on how to conduct a successful job search.

Although graduates cannot be guaranteed employment or starting salary, Advanced Technology Institute has long been a source of qualified applicants for employers. Advanced Technology Institute graduates are often scheduled or referred for job interviews as employment openings occur. Although Career Services Advisors maintain contact with several employers to identify employment opportunities, students are also expected to participate actively in their employment search campaign and to assume ultimate responsibility for their employment.

ATI's heavy-vehicle co-op and hiring partners include Norfolk Truck Center, Western Branch Diesel, Kenworth Sales, and Coastal Equipment.

As an Advanced Technology Institute student, you will train in more than 58,000 square feet of modern shops, laboratories, and classrooms equipped to mirror the environments you will work in after graduation, working hands-on with diesel engines, heavy-vehicle subsystems, and modern diagnostic equipment in a realistic shop setting.

Instruction is delivered in focused five-week modules by experienced, industry-credentialed instructors. You will progress through the program with a cohort of classmates on a schedule built to develop real, demonstrable proficiency, with opportunities to earn industry-recognized credentials along the way.

Beyond the classroom and shop, ATI's Career Services team works one-on-one with you as graduation approaches — reviewing your résumé, sharpening your interviewing skills, and connecting you with employer partners across Hampton Roads and beyond.

ATI is a Yellow Ribbon school and welcomes veterans and active-duty military. Furnished, apartment-style student housing is available near campus for students relocating to the Virginia Beach area, and ATI's WellConnect program offers students and their families 24/7 support at no cost.