Surge In Interest For Automotive Technology At Wawasee
By Tim Ashley
InkFreeNews
SYRACUSE — Much has been written and spoken about the nationwide labor shortage. Locally, Brad Craig, automotive technology teacher at Wawasee High School, is reminded of this nearly every week.
“I feel like just about every week I have somebody contacting me looking for a technician,” Craig said, especially since the 2021-22 school year began in August. “The demand is more than the supply.”
Not surprisingly, enrollment has significantly increased in automotive technology. Craig noted about 50 students, many of them juniors, signed up for this school year though some of them have since been sent to the marine mechanics program.
Automotive technology is one of the classes offered through the Pathways Cooperative based at Wawasee and which also includes students from Fairfield, Goshen, West Noble and Columbia City.
Craig noted several automobile mechanics have left to work elsewhere for more money such as at RV factories or orthopedic companies. “They are going to places where they are paying top dollar,” he said, and also paying bonuses just for showing up for work a week at a time.
Those students who are seriously interested in automotive work know they can pretty much get a job right after high school, especially considering some auto dealers are willing to pay for training. “Dealerships are offering to pay for training more than they used to,” he said, though some students will still end up going to a two-year automotive school.
Not only dealerships are looking for workers, but also the smaller shops and automotive parts stores.
Automotive technology is for juniors and seniors only. Juniors attend class in the morning and learn mostly about brakes, steering and suspension work or the more basic level work. Seniors learn about electronics and engine repair and diagnostics. Morning and afternoon classes are each 2.5 hours long and are for the entire school year.
Craig estimated 70% percent of the class work is hands-on with the rest being spent in the classroom learning from books or online. Most of the vehicles worked on are either school corporation employee vehicles or those belonging to the students and their families. A few cars are donated each year.
Students can earn dual credits through Ivy Tech and it is mandatory they receive an ASE, or Automotive Service Excellence, certificate. If they choose to go on to work in the field, they can then become ASE certified after a couple of years.
Electronics have become much more complicated in automobiles in recent years and students can be challenged to properly diagnose what is wrong with a vehicle considering there are thousands of possible error codes. And, Craig noted, “electric cars are coming soon.”
Some students are taking the class because they want to be able to work on their own cars to save some money, he said. “It’s more of a hobby for them.”
Learning about working on automobiles at Wawasee dates back to the 1968-69 school year when the high school originally opened. At that time, it was known as an auto mechanics class.
Craig said he doesn’t want “just parts changers” but emphasizes correctly diagnosing what the specific problem really is. “I want you to prove it to me you know what the problem is,” he explained.
He has been an automotive instructor at Wawasee for 32 years.