Inside Echo’s New National Training Center
By John Kmitta
Echo Incorporated opened a new training facility in McHenry, Illinois, focused on hands-on technical education for outdoor power equipment and industrial power equipment service technicians.
The 6,025-square-foot Echo National Training Center provides training for technicians within the company’s dealer and distributor network. The facility combines web-based pre-learning, classroom instruction and hands-on training related to Echo’s industrial power equipment and outdoor power equipment product lines.
The training center was developed in collaboration with service technicians and is designed around small class sizes with no more than 12 participants per session.
“Echo has never had a factory training center,” said Ron Jensen, Echo senior manager of warranty and product training. “We go on the road occasionally, but the majority of classroom training is done by the distributor service managers.”
Echo began its main hub for technician training – the Echo Academy – in 2022, featuring a three-level tiered approach to training. The first level, called TF1, is basics such as how to use tools and theory of operation. The next level, TF2, teaches different product lines in more depth. And the third level – Master Certified – features advanced classes such as engine diagnostics, failure analysis, and new technology. Progression through the training levels is self-paced, and there are approximately nine half-hour courses each.
“Our goal was to have a final stage for dealer technicians, and that’s Master Elite,” said Jensen. “That is only available from Echo here. We have put on two classes so far, and we’ve had 18 students that have achieved Master Elite.”
The Master Elite program features three days of classes from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day. For this year’s Master Elite program at the training center, the first day focused on 56-volt battery technology, including diagnostics and complete tear down or reassembly. Day two highlighted new gasoline engine technology, including the Echo PB5810 and Echo’s new 30-inch mower. The last day was the advanced class on engine diagnostics.
“A lot of the stuff should be known already, but for this we put in three to four bugs per engine,” said Jensen. “So we’re really stressing them on what they need to look for. They have to know their testing, otherwise they’re not going to find the answer. Going through these checks and testing ensures that everything is taken care of. If you skip one step, then you have a problem.
“We’re working pretty hard,” Jensen added. “We want to make sure that they get the best value out of their trip here because they are paying for airfare, and also have to be away from their dealership when they could be working on equipment.”
According to Jensen, the goal is for classes at the facility to run from January through March. Echo has more than 700 individual technicians who are Master Certified, but because several of those technicians work for the same dealership, approximately 500 of them qualify to become Master Elite.
“Going through a program like ours that is a tiered system really gets them ready for what they need to do in the shop,” said Jensen. “It really helps to have real-life diagnostics and failure analysis that they can bring to that dealership. As far as value goes, hopefully it will result in more money, being the top of the top. But a lot of it’s just for their own personal gratitude.”
Jensen added that dealerships that have Master Certified technicians receive better benefits packages, as well as badging on their websites that they have a Master Certified technician on board.
According to Jensen, Echo is looking to expand the facility in the future, and also plans to feature more hands-on operation and demonstration of the equipment.
“We want to have the best hands-on experience and make sure it’s worthwhile,” he added.
