June 26, 2007 - 3:35am
Employers are knocking down the doors to hire students from Malaspina University-College’s Automotive Service Technician program on the Powell River campus.
“Our program has been extremely successful in helping students on their career path,” said Dan Light, instructor and chair of the automotive department on Malaspina’s Powell River campus. “We get regular calls from employers in BC and Alberta looking for students from our program because our graduates are highly skilled and ready to work.”
This full-time, comprehensive, ten-month program is designed to prepare students for a career in the automotive repair trade through daily lectures, demonstrations of current servicing techniques and extensive practical training in a functioning shop setting.
A typical day in the program consists of two hours of theory in the classroom and four hours of practical, hands-on training in the automotive shop. The program also includes job-finding seminars and work experience sessions at local businesses to help prepare students for the workplace.
“We train the students as much as possible,” said Light. “We teach employability skills too – being on time, showing initiative, study skills, computer skills relevant to the trade, customer service, work orders and dealing with parts suppliers. We do live work in the shop, which is important because there’s nothing like real experience to help with teaching.”
Students aren’t the only ones profiting from the program, with local business owners like Mike Doxy, manager of Dox Autotech, snatching up graduates to work in his shop.
“It’s a great program and they come out of it with a lot of knowledge,” said Doxy, who also graduated from the program in 1998. “I currently have two employees who came from that program and they’re both doing incredibly well.”
Some students, like recent graduate Troy Lawson, had jobs lined up before they even finished the program.
“I had an apprenticeship waiting for me at Massullo Motors in Powell River before I even finished,” said Lawson. “I did my work experience there, so it gave me the opportunity to show them what I had learned.”
“I am very happy with that program,” said Jim Bartfai, service manager of Massullo Motors. “We’ve just hired Troy, who did a great job during his work experience with us, so we are really happy with the situation. They are doing an awesome job in that program and they are really putting students on the right track.”
Lawson also recently won a gold medal in the regional Skills Canada competition in the automotive service technician category.
“It was very exciting to win,” said Lawson, who was judged on his diagnostics skills on a car that wouldn’t start. “I knew I had done a good job, but I was still really thrilled when I won.”
Lawson competed in the Skills Canada competition as a dual credit grade twelve student. In that program, Lawson was able to enrol in the Automotive Service Technician program while still finishing his grade twelve courses. He’s very happy with that choice because he loves the training he received.
“It’s a great program. Whatever we learn in the classroom, we take right into the shop,” said Lawson. “Everything gets covered. If you are a dedicated student, you’ll learn everything you need.”
This ten-month program is available on both the Powell River and Nanaimo campuses. It starts in September and runs until the end of June. Seats are still available, but filling up quickly, so students should get their applications in as soon as possible. For more information on Malaspina’s Powell River campus Automotive Service Technician program, please contact Dan Light at (604)485-5818 or light@viu.ca or visit the website at www.viu.ca/automotive. For general information about programs on the Powell River campus, please contact (604)485-2878.
Tags: In the Community
