Cheyenne Service Technician Earns Level III John Deere Certification

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Ryan Sanchez began his career at 4Rivers Equipment as a service technician after graduating from Laramie County Community College’s Diesel Technology program in 2017. In those five short years, he has become a certified Level III technician, the second highest certification John Deere offers.  

Cheyenne Service Manager Jason McAffee says Sanchez’s impressive career track can be attributed to his eagerness to learn and develop his skills as a technician.

“Ryan’s mentality as a technician is second to none,” McAffee said. “He is meticulous, and he goes through the steps set forth by Deere in a proficient manner. The training has led him to be a better technician and made him able to work faster and produce more. As such a young tech, only five years in, he’s way above most people his age in mentality and ability.”

As a Level III certified technician, Sanchez is now qualified to work on any piece of equipment 4Rivers sells or supports. This is one of the major advantages to going through the John Deere certification process.

“I decided to get certified because it allows you to work on more equipment,” Sanchez said. “For example, if there are certain warranty jobs, only certain people can work on them. It was a lot of learning, a lot of computer work, a lot of hours training in JDU (John Deere University) and trial and error in the shop.”

As a technician moves through the certification process, which includes numerous trainings and virtual courses, they are equipped to service increasingly complex machine components.

McAffee explained the difference between the first three levels:

“A Level I tech is someone who comes in with basic hand tool knowledge and mechanical aptitude. When you go through Level I, you learn the basics of John Deere machine support. “Level II is more detailed involving everything from hydraulics and electrical to deeper engine components, emissions and warranty training. Level III is the cream of the crop because you can specialize and chose any path you want.”

Sanchez has become a leader in the Cheyenne shop. When he first joined the 4Rivers team, he started out working on lawnmowers until the shop foreman at the time asked him if he wanted to move to the back.

“I guess I was nervous to do it, but I did, and it was a good leap. I learned a lot,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez is already thinking about what he needs to do next to reach Level IV. He credits all those in the shop who help motivate him for reaching this career milestone, including McAffee, his coworkers, and the Regional Aftermarket Manager Tim Parish.

“The work environment is positive here,” Sanchez said about 4Rivers Equipment. “It is a great learning environment, and we have a good crew getting trained up.