Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
Diesel student here.
I quit a good paying job this year to become a diesel mechanic. I'm 30 years old. I don't have to family to support. But we have a guy in the second year who is pretty close to your situation. He has a family and kids also. He works at a local truck shop and goes to school. He told me he loves it.
The city that the school is located has many trucking companies. Many companie have postings for jobs at the school. Almost more jobs than kids enrolled for diesel mechanics.
Elctonics and electricity are good ereas to get good at. Thats where its really heading. I suffered in electronics. As did most of the kids.
The program that I'm in is Medium & heavy truck mechanic. Trucks only. Are school uses Cummins,detroit diesel,cat and volvo in the diesel classes. But they seem to favor Cummins and detroit diesel quite a bit followed by Mack and Cat.
My first engine at school was a C series 8. 3 out of a gen set. Let me tell ya theres a lot of satisfation in tearing a motor apart inspecting and measuring the parts then reassembling them. Then you fire that puppy up with a big cloud of black smoke. My engine has a lope in it. Sounds cool to me.
Next semester I have air brakes, suspension and steering.
One of the kids got to tear down a 5. 9 b cummins out of a Dodge. It was really cool to get a close look at all the parts. I now worry even less about breaking something on my Dodge. I helped him with the timing on it. The more you get involved the more you learn.
Good luck!
I quit a good paying job this year to become a diesel mechanic. I'm 30 years old. I don't have to family to support. But we have a guy in the second year who is pretty close to your situation. He has a family and kids also. He works at a local truck shop and goes to school. He told me he loves it.
The city that the school is located has many trucking companies. Many companie have postings for jobs at the school. Almost more jobs than kids enrolled for diesel mechanics.
Elctonics and electricity are good ereas to get good at. Thats where its really heading. I suffered in electronics. As did most of the kids.
The program that I'm in is Medium & heavy truck mechanic. Trucks only. Are school uses Cummins,detroit diesel,cat and volvo in the diesel classes. But they seem to favor Cummins and detroit diesel quite a bit followed by Mack and Cat.
My first engine at school was a C series 8. 3 out of a gen set. Let me tell ya theres a lot of satisfation in tearing a motor apart inspecting and measuring the parts then reassembling them. Then you fire that puppy up with a big cloud of black smoke. My engine has a lope in it. Sounds cool to me.
Next semester I have air brakes, suspension and steering.
One of the kids got to tear down a 5. 9 b cummins out of a Dodge. It was really cool to get a close look at all the parts. I now worry even less about breaking something on my Dodge. I helped him with the timing on it. The more you get involved the more you learn.
Good luck!
