Want to be a mechanic?
Students learn just how easy it is to lift a car using only a shower-curtain rod. Image courtesy of oklahomatechnicalcollege.com
The line at the unemployment office is getting to be too long to be worth it, so why not jump in a shorter one and go back to school while you’re out of work?
More and more people are spending their down time between jobs to go back to school, and a few folks are hitting the ground running on new career paths. Although these tough economic times have nearly eradicated some occupations, auto mechanics are in higher demand than ever.
If you happen to be in the San Diego area and are interested in working on cars, the newly expanded Educational Cultural Complex Skills Center might be your ticket into the wide world of auto maintenance and repair. In September 2009, the San Diego Community College District’s Ocean View Boulevard campus completed a $22M addition to the already massive institution, which boasts the largest automotive technology and skills center in the nation.
Once enrolled, students begin their training in both lecture and hands-on environments; although, it is more heavily weighted, about 70 percent, with the hands-on approach. Everything from auto technology, mechanical and electrical repair, auto body repair, upholstery, graphic printing and arts, and welding technology is available for students. The continuing education program, which is free of charge, takes 25 to 40 weeks to complete, depending on the area of focus.
With a trained staff of industry leading professionals, the center has been receiving a lot of attention from interested students. The program accepts a total of 150 applicants a year and is currently at capacity until more funding can be raised to bring on more instructors and classes. “In the past, we’ve been a best kept secret,” said Jane Signaigo-Cox, dean of career technical education, in the San Diego Business Journal. “But with the new facility, we are really drawing a lot of people and community interest in this.”
Although the program doesn’t come with an official certification, the training provided is all on par with the most rigorous industry standards.
Some advice from one successful grad, Mark Oberlies, is once you complete the program, “get an entry level position anywhere there’s work, then get the experience and certification needed for better jobs in the industry.”
—AJ Register
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