Automotive Technology

Feature
By Corey Wilczynski
Husky Herald Reporter

  In Junior and Senior year at Port Huron Northern, there is a program students can be in where they receive on-the-job training in a program that they are interested in.

 There is a class that many students who love cars are in. This class is Automotive Technology; this class teaches students how to work on cars, trucks, etc.
 It teaches students the names and uses for different parts of the car. They show students how to fix or replace the parts as well if they are broke.

 Zach Helton, who is a student at Tech, is a state finalist for brakes. He explains a little bit of his time there. “I’ve learned a lot from tec, I went in thinking I knew everything about cars but they proved me wrong on several occasions. We get to work with other students and we learn from each others mistakes. This is a great program for students who like to work on cars,” Helton (‘16) said.

 Justin Baker is another student at Tech and he loves it. “I always look forward to going because the teachers make the class enjoyable. They joke around and always have something funny to talk about. They make everyone feel relaxed. There isn't anything those guys don’t know about a car,” Baker (‘16) Said.

  The students go to Tech for three hours while also going to high school for three hours. Riley Leffler explains what they do, “How it works is we go over material in a classroom first. Then we spend the next three or four days out in the shop performing everything we covered,” Leffler (‘16) said.

 Every so often they have an open shop day. For juniors, they have it two to three times throughout the year. For seniors they have it every other Friday. People can bring in their car to be worked on by the students. The students will work on the cars and fix everything there is wrong for free. Although people must buy the parts first.

 When students are finished with this class they will be state certified in: brakes, steering and suspension, engine rebuilding, engine performance, and electrical systems.

 This is a great program to get involved in especially for someone wanting to pursue a career in this field. If you are a car lover get involved!