Hydraulic Hands-On Training with HOT School

In the industrial landscape of today, industrial hydraulics plays a powerful and pervasive role, and we deeply rely on this technology to keep our industries moving. However, understanding the basic principles of operation or even some of its essential components is quickly becoming nonexistent. The need for industrial hydraulics will not go away, but how long is it until there is a new generation that lacks the understanding of a technology that drives and controls machinery in their industries? In this episode of Evolution in Controls, special guests Sam Durard, Regional Vice President of Sales, and Kent Darnell, HOT School Manager, join host Tim Wilson to discuss Womack's long-standing and nationally available hands-on hydraulic training courses.

With a long, rich history, HOT School courses teach hundreds of people basic and advanced hydraulic principles each year. From components like valves, pumps, and motors to reading schematics, HOT School courses cover everything a technician needs to know about industrial hydraulics. What started as a 6-week evening class in a single-room schoolhouse in the 1970s run by founder Mr. Womack himself is now a 3-day course with hands-on trainers and instructors who travel around the country teaching both entry-level and experienced technicians.

The "hands-on" part of HOT schools is literal - students work with real hydraulic trainers so they can see, feel, and do what the course material teaches. The physicality of the courses takes content a step further than a slideshow; it provides a deeper understanding of the technology and how things work. With over 12 lab activities that go hand-in-hand with the trainers, students learn to build and troubleshoot real hydraulic circuits, providing real-life experience.

With older, more experienced generations retiring and newer generations entering the workforce, HOT Schools provide critical knowledge that could be lost if incoming hydraulic technicians are not properly educated. HOT Schools prevent this gap in industrial hydraulics from growing further and keep industries educated on the foundation of essential technology.

To learn more about basic, advanced, and in-plant HOT School courses, please visit: https://www.womackmachine.com/resources/education/. To stay up-to-date on future HOT School developments, follow our LinkedIn profiles: Morrell Group and Womack Machine Supply.