Meet the Man Behind the Machine

Jeff Deris got a jumpstart to his career with Cervus Equipment when he was just 18 years old. He started off at the Cervus Equipment Peterbilt location in Mississauga as an Apprentice Service Technician, helping out the shop in any way he could.

Jeff worked for three years as an Apprentice with Cervus while studying for his Automotive Truck & Coach Mechanic Certificate at Centennial College in Toronto, Ontario.

He put in long hours, working on equipment late into the night and waking up early to study hard. Jeff showed true grit, gaining a solid understanding underneath the hood of commercial trucks while mastering the theory in the books.

Labouring cold winter nights and sweltering summer days didn’t stop Jeff - he was determined to get ahead as a mechanic. “I put in a lot of long hours in the beginning of my career to get experience,” says Jeff. “I took any repair work that was available. I worked nights, weekends and did emergency roadside repairs.”

Jeff took a strong interest in learning the technology behind trucks and how the hundreds (and even thousands) of components of a truck work together to create a slick machine.

All his time spent underneath trucks and behind the books paid off when became a Certified Technician and was hired on as a Service Technician at Cervus Equipment Peterbilt, now just over eight years ago.

As a young technician, Jeff was eager to learn from top talent, gaining experience from those around him.

“I wouldn’t be where I am without the help and support of the senior technicians and my supervisors,” says Jeff. “They helped and coached me along the way.”

If you ask Jeff’s supervisor what he thinks about the young technician’s work in the shop, he only has positive things to say.

“Jeff is a hardworking and intelligent guy that really cares about his work,” says Steve Nagy, Assistant Service Manager, Cervus Equipment Peterbilt Mississauga. “He’s always eager to learn and grow.”

Since starting off as an Apprentice over eight years ago, Jeff has worked his way up the ranks, becoming one of the top engine technicians. “He went for it and got it himself - I didn’t give him any special treatment,” says Steve.

Jeff wasn’t afraid to learn lessons and take the home with him, either.

“Some of the hardest battles are fought on your own, by making mistakes and by learning from them,” says Jeff. “Experience and knowledge comes from putting in hard work and by being eager to learn.” Jeff’s commitment to learning and high standards for achievement set him apart, making him a true expert underneath the hood: “you have to push to be the best.”