Penn College News

Cleveland Brothers overseeing students’ service of generators

Friday, December 16, 2022

An agreement with Cleveland Brothers Equipment Co., a time-honored corporate partner of Pennsylvania College of Technology, pairs a qualified technician with students in the electrical power generation curriculum for preventative maintenance of the institution’s electrical generators.

Under the collaboration, Penn College students in Power Generation Theory & Operation and Power Generation Systems classes work with a fully certified Caterpillar EPG technician using the latest tools and equipment. The college pays for any necessary parts, and Cleveland Brothers donates the technicians’ time and labor expended in supervising the student workers.

Students also get to utilize the appropriate equipment needed to properly maintain all makes of generators – especially CAT – and are exposed to the different types of software used to “communicate” with the engines, generator controllers and automatic transfer switches.



Cleveland Brothers Equipment Co. is continuing its historic support of Pennsylvania College of Technology, pairing power generation students with certified Caterpillar technicians under a collaborative mentorship agreement. “This is allowing our students to get supervised hands-on, real-world experience working on generators,” noted John D. Motto, instructor of diesel equipment technology at Penn College. “The students are also getting to see how the Caterpillar network services generators using its propriety app, CAT Inspect. This is a great interactive tool through which students/techs are able to take note of issues they find while servicing generators.  They can also upload pictures and videos to better explain issues they have found.”

Cleveland Brothers trainers have supplemented their mentorship with a classroom takeover, covering such topics as load-bank fundamentals, power-factor calculations and corrections, and various CAT control systems.

“Cleveland Brothers has been a long-standing partner and is helping our students further experience ‘the real world’ through this arrangement,” said Justin W. Beishline, assistant dean of diesel technology and natural resources. “We are excited for what our students are going to learn.”

The company’s historic advocacy of Penn College and its students is reflected on the Donor Wall in the lobby of the Davie Jane Gilmour Center, where Cleveland Brothers has attained membership in the Millionaire’s Society ($1 million and above).

“We thank Cleveland Brothers for the continued support of our tomorrow makers,” said Elizabeth A. Biddle, senior corporate relations director. “This relationship gives our students a chance to learn more equipment in their class, as well as an understanding of working in the field with a team for power generation service.”

The company, a Corporate Tomorrow Maker, has partnered with Penn College since 1994, providing equipment, student sponsorships and faculty training on the latest Caterpillar machinery.

“This is a win-win for Cleveland Brothers and Penn College,” said Brian Clayton, regional operations manager for electric power generation. “The students engage in a full working/service experience for an employer, and our team has an opportunity to build a stronger relationship with students to encourage their pursuit in the EPG industry and hopefully with Cleveland Brothers.”

For more about diesel technology and related majors in the college’s School of Engineering Technologies, call 570-327-4520.

For more about the college, a national leader in applied technology education, email or call toll-free 800-367-9222.