TechLINK: Diverse Work Experiences
The automotive technology department firmly believes that the best way to learn to become a highly skilled automotive technician is through a combination of on-campus learning and real-life work.  We are pleased to work closely with our students to help those interested in finding paid cooperative work experience placements in local shops. 
 

Preparing for the Opportunity

Not everyone is ready for immediate co-op work placement. There are several ‘tests’ to assure that you are ready. You can do this by answering the following simple questions:

• Are you sure that you ready to begin a career as an automotive technician?
   
• Have you completed the 6 core automotive courses * to assure that you the technical knowledge to begin a work assignment?
   
• Do you know what type of shop (independent or dealership) that you are interested in beginning your career?
   
• Are you willing and able to make the ‘career move’ right now to being employed as an apprentice tech while you complete your degree?

If the answers to all of these questions are an unqualified “YES” then you may be ready for co-op.

Flexible Scheduling
Students who are actively working in cooperative work placements in area dealerships and independent repair shops follow the same curriculum as the general Automotive Technology Program.  However, since students are working in local repair shops as well as taking coursework on campus, the scheduling of course is arranged to coordinate with the student’s work schedule.  Please contact Bill Warner bwarner@cscc.edu, the department cooperative work experience advisor, for further information on placement opportunities.

In addition to meeting all of the objectives of the general Automotive Technology Program participation in cooperative education is designed to:

·        Fill the local shortage of qualified, entry-level technicians needed by the area automotive repair shops.

·        Provide participating students with paid industry work experience to enhance the learning experience and to enable them to successfully transition from the classroom to the workplace.

·       Provide a course of study that will enable successful graduates to have the knowledge and skills necessary to develop an upward career path in automotive repair.

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