Success Stories
Automotive
Technology Program Jumpstarts Student Success
by
Chris Cunningham
“I’d
always worked on cars in the backyard with my dad. I remember growing
up on the hub wheel of the truck,” says, Kristalin Jones.
Kristalin Jones’ family and friends weren’t the least bit
surprised when she enrolled in Lane’s Automotive Technology program
fresh out of high school two years ago.
“I’d always worked on cars in the backyard with my dad,” Jones explains. She recalls her dad urging her when she was just 3 years old: “Here’s your wrench, go to work.” By the time she was 9, Jones had replaced an engine on a ‘77 Chevy half-ton pickup.
“Lane is awesome,” Jones says. “I enjoy the people and the quality of instruction in big and small groups. You learn a lot about people and their work habits,” Jones notes. At age 20, she is one of the youngest students in her program, and one of three women in a class of 20.
“She was willing to work hard at what she was doing,” says Instructor Tom Kadash, one of two automotive technology instructors at Lane. “And she worked well with the other students.”
Small classes allow students ample opportunities for in-depth instruction in classrooms and in training labs, where they learn to diagnose problems and repair late-model vehicles under the guidance of instructors with industry experience. Kadash previously worked as an automotive technician in General Motors dealerships in his home state of Illinois as well as at Joe Romania Chevrolet and Wentworth Buick GMC in Eugene.
Jones says
Lane’s automotive curriculum gave her the jumpstart she needed to
land a paid cooperative education position on the lube and oil rack at
Romania Toyota in Eugene. She applied and interviewed for the position,
just as she would have if she were seeking employment in the job market,
says Lane’s Cooperative Education Coordinator Marvin Clemons. Most
co-op students work about 10 hours a week in local businesses or industries.
“If they are successful, 65 to 70 percent of the students are retained
by the employer with whom they did their co-op internship,” Clemons
says.
After successfully completing her internship fall term, Jones accepted a full-time position at Romania Toyota performing lube and oil changes. She receives benefits and continues to earn cooperative education credit for her employment experience. Starting pay for the oil and lube position is $8.56 per hour, says Steve Harris, service manager at Romania Toyota.
“Kristalin has been a very good hire for us,” Harris says. “She’s very focused and does high quality work.”
Lane’s Automotive Technology program is accredited by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation. The program offers courses in engine repair, suspensions and steering, brakes, and electrical and electronic systems, among others. Kadash says the curriculum gives students a solid foundation for careers in parts, sales and service departments, all of which are plentiful across the country.
Some manufacturers such as Toyota, Volkswagen and Ford provide their own automotive training programs to experienced employees. A handful of private companies around the country offer automotive technical programs, with assessed tuition ranging from $20,000 to $30,000 per year. By comparison, Lane’s program tuition and fees run about $3,150 per year for full-time resident students pursuing two-year degrees. Students also are responsible for purchasing their own tools, which range in cost from $550 to $700.
Lane gives students “the basics” and the knowledge to pass the Automotive Service Excellence tests, says George Hart, the program’s other instructor. Devised by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, these voluntary tests gauge a technician’s knowledge of diagnostic and repair skills. Passing scores certify technicians in eight areas of expertise, including engine repair; automatic transmission and transaxle repair; heating and air conditioning repair; and brake repair, Hart says.
For her part, Jones, who will graduate with a two-year associate of applied science degree in June 2003, would eventually like to work in a small automotive shop. But for now, she is pleased to work in a setting that is conducive to ongoing learning and allows her to use the skills she gleaned at her dad’s knee.
