Access Your Future Graduates Bring (Literal) Family Feel to Indio Service Team

If you ask team members about the culture at RDO Equipment Co., you might hear reference to a family feel. It means different things to different teams and people, but in the Indio Service department, that family feel is literal—thanks to the Ponce brothers.

Pedro and Kevin Ponce are both Service Technicians in the Indio shop. They have long shared an interest in mechanical subjects and, toward the end of high school, found themselves seriously considering careers in the diesel industry.

While Kevin, a self-proclaimed “gear head” who has always enjoyed taking things apart to better understand them, enrolled in the Diesel Technology program at University Technical Institute, Pedro found his way to RDO first, starting as Indio’s Yard Coordinator. While there, Pedro saw the dynamic in the shop and knew it was a team he wanted to join and a field he wanted to pursue.

Pedro joined his brother at UTI and together, the Ponces enrolled in RDO’s Access Your Future program, working in the shop during the day and attending class in the evenings. Their hard work paid off, and they graduated from UTI in July.

Kevin has valued his RDO experience so far and cited the variety of work as his favorite part of the job.

“There’s always something new; every job is different,” he said. “I especially like that we work on front-to-back repairs: engines, transmissions, electrical, body, everything.”

And what first drew Pedro to the team is what he still points to today when he tells others about RDO.

“I love the team atmosphere and the dynamic we have here,” he said.

The good fortune of having both Ponce brothers on one team is not lost on Val Mendivil, Store Manager, who pointed to today’s labor challenges in the equipment industry.

“It’s difficult to find hungry new Service Technicians these days,” he said. “We caught lightning in a bottle twice. Both Pedro and Kevin have shown drive and determination and are committed to RDO and our Core Values.”

Omar Perez-Dagnino, Service Manager, spoke further to the Ponces’ fit on the team and willingness to keep learning.

“Since day one, I have seen Pedro and Kevin growing and developing, learning all the fundamentals and more,” said. “They have been proving that they have the skills and passion to deliver the best technical work. I’m really looking forward to having both of them continue to grow with RDO.”

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The Access Your Future program offers participants educational incentives of up to $16,000, paid work experience and mentorship from skilled team members, and full-time career opportunities after graduation.

AYF programs are available for service, sales, and parts positions. To learn more, visit: www.rdoequipment.com/AYF