Tag Archives: Automotive Technology

Hoosiers prove they have what it takes with SkillsUSA

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In just over a month, hundreds of students across Indiana will be showcasing the skills of their chosen trade in the SkillsUSA state competition happening at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Apr. 14-15. Getting to the state level is no easy feat, and dozens of local students recently competed for a chance to snag a spot at state during two different regional competitions at Ivy Tech Community College Fort Wayne.

“SkillsUSA is a trifecta of educators, business and industry leaders, and students working together to close a skills gap we’re seeing nationwide,” says Kelley Baker, the Indiana State Director for SkillsUSA. “It gives students the chance to showcase their learned skills and allows them to network with professionals in their chosen trade.”

Through this national competition, middle school, high school, and postsecondary students can win scholarships and trips to competing locations to further develop their craft. SkillsUSA promotes skilled trade education throughout the US and works with WorldSkills International to shine a light on these individuals.

Students compete in the Automotive Service SkillsUSA competition at Ivy Tech Fort Wayne

Thirty-six high schoolers competed to see who has the skills needed to become an outstanding technician during Regionals for the Automotive Service category.

“The SkillsUSA program is a great opportunity for local high school students to show off their skill sets within the automotive trade,” says Nick Goodnight, Ph.D., assistant department chair of Automotive and Diesel Technology. “The automotive profession is a great industry to get in and creates a great career.”

The top five students of each regional competition move on to the next round. The winners were chosen based on how well they performed in the various categories. Students competed in skills like electrical soldering and meter usage, HVAC identification, automotive transmission and engine component identification and application, and braking and suspension systems diagnosis.

Automotive is just one of 88 trade areas that compete. Ivy Tech Fort Wayne also played host to the Baking and Pastry Arts competition. Snider High School and Anthis Career Academy Senior Celeste Julian placed second in the competition.

The culinary competition requires students to make clear soup, fabricate a chicken, cook chicken breasts, make sauces, and cook vegetables. Thirteen culinary students were competing, but only the top six move on to the state finals.

With any SkillsUSA competition, students have the chance to move from regionals to state to nationals and then possibly to worlds. The national competition for every program is happening June 19 through the 23 in Atlanta, GA.

Anyone interested in future competitions can visit the SkillsUSA website to see the exciting opportunities available. Again, this is open to middle schoolers, high schoolers, and postsecondary students.

Tire blowout leads to surprise that doesn’t fall flat

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When Helina Mcphail came late into her Automotive Technology class one day, she didn’t know she was in for a big surprise. Just the day before, a tire had blown out on her car—luckily, she was safe, but she started to worry about how to afford a replacement.

From left: Automotive Technology student Helina Mcphail and Belle Tire Director of Retail Operations Dustin Young

“I started joking about it with my classmates,” says Mcphail. “I was saying things like ‘hey, want to go fix my tire?’”

During class that day, Dustin Young the Director of Retail Operations at Belle Tire had been speaking about job recruitment for the various Fort Wayne locations. He happened to overhear Helina’s conversation with her classmates.

“He came over to me and was like, ‘you need a tire?’ Then next thing I know, I have two free tires.”

According to Young, they both went to check out the situation with Mcphail’s car. Upon further inspection, not only did they find one but two blown out tires. She explains that she had been driving on the rims of her tires due to an issue in alignment which caused quick wear and tear. Young ran over to the Lima Rd. Belle Tire location and paid for two new tires that he gave to Mcphail.

“When you’re a college student, you just have so much going on,” says Young. “We always try to help people out that need help, and thankfully I have the ability to go get some tires and give them to people that need them.”

Mcphail is now working to realign her tires to make sure the blow outs don’t happen again any time soon, and she positively beams as she remembers Young’s generosity.

“It was a blessing,” says Mcphail. “I was so thankful for it. It made my whole day.”

Drive and a dream: Caleb DeKeyser’s life working in luxury

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Every year, two select groups of 12 people are chosen to spend six months in the Golden State with a goal of becoming certified Porsche technicians. Imagine Caleb DeKeyser’s excitement when Porsche chose him for the program—thanks, in part, to an Automotive Technology degree and guidance from Ivy Tech Fort Wayne faculty.

Caleb DeKeyser | ’21 Automotive Tech Grad; provided by Caleb DeKeyser

Caleb describes his experience at the Porsche Technology Apprenticeship Program (PTAP) as a “bootcamp” for all things Porsche. It involves spending half a year in California while living in housing the company provides and dedicating nearly every day to working on cars. He says the knowledge he gained there could’ve filled an entire year. But when you work with Porsche, it’s quality over everything else.

“It’s basically everything that’s within other car companies magnified times ten because you’re not working on a $20,000 car, you’re working on a $200,000 car,” Caleb says.

It wasn’t just luck that earned him his place in PTAP. Hard work got him to where he is today, a trait he’s carried from a young age.

As an early teen, the Michigander saved up money to buy a dirt bike. He says he and his brother liked to tinker with and modify it. From dirt bikes, they experimented with four-wheelers before moving on to cars. Caleb loved working with all aspects of it, from maintenance to performance.

“We liked going fast, the thrill of it, and when I bought cars, I’d always liked going off-roading and driving fast.”

Working with performance cars became his dream. So, when his parents moved from northern Michigan to Angola, Ind., he went off to Tennessee for college in hopes of making that dream come true. He was only there a year before he needed a change, so he opted for a school close to home: Ivy Tech Community College Fort Wayne.

Caleb didn’t foresee himself working with luxury cars, but he put in the work for an Automotive Technology technical certificate. Not only did he squeeze three semesters into two, but he also worked part time while commuting to and from Angola.

Porsche Technology Apprenticeship Program (PTAP) in California; provided by Caleb DeKeyser

“If you pay attention and get as much out of it as you can, then you can do some damage in the shop.”

His effort paid off as teachers took notice. Caleb credits automotive instructor Paul Wright for noticing the work he was putting in and helping him land his dream opportunity. He says Wright got him in contact with Porsche Fort Wayne, where Caleb began working with the Audi’s while continuing his education. PTAP gave him a career boost, and he’s now a fully certified Porsche technician.

At 23, he’s living a life many people dream about: happily married, a soon-to-be father, and working a job he loves while living without college debt. But Caleb’s ambition is still strong, and he hopes one day he can open his own shop.

For those pursuing a similar path, he offers this advice: pay attention in class, work hard, and don’t let buying tools bring you into debt.

Crashing through barriers: Mariana Garcia takes on the world of collision repair

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Mariana Garcia stumbled across her love of cars by accident. Though she didn’t have prior experience in the field, taking vocational automotive classes seemed like a fun way to bypass regular classes. What she didn’t predict: breaking the mold as a Hispanic woman pursuing a career in collision repair.

It hasn’t been an easy road to get where she is today. Mariana works as an estimator with Gerber Collision after spending a few years working in an auto shop at a Ford Dealership in her hometown of Kendallville. In her current role, she acts as a liaison between customers and insurance companies after there’s been an accident.

“A lot of people request a man’s opinion,” she shares. “I run into that a lot, but my manager just backs me up.”

According to DATA USA, the collision repair industry is made up of more than 90% men. While those numbers cause unfair stereotypes for women, Mariana says men face them, too. She believes this can be a career for anyone.

“I would like for more people to see that you don’t have to be that stereotype. I think anyone should do it just cause it’s fun and something great to learn.”

Beyond public opinion, Mariana’s parents also weren’t interested in the idea of their daughter working with cars because it didn’t fit their cultural norms. She says her mother would be embarrassed to tell their family in Mexico about her passion. Mariana took a gap year after high school trying to convince herself to do something else, but her love for the automotive industry won out, and she ended up close to home at Ivy Tech Community College Fort Wayne.

Mariana joined the Automotive Technology program and specialized in Collision Repair. It’s a hands-on program that allows students to gain experience with the latest technology and builds proficiency in basic automotive maintenance. She says they went through everything from painting to body work. Mariana graduated with an A.A.S. in Automotive Technology in 2017 and was awarded a technical certificate in Auto Body Repair later that year.

Looking back, she’s grateful for the help of professors like Nick Goodnight, assistant department chair of Diesel Technology, Bob Huffman, department chair of Automotive Technology, and Jaron Grayless, former instructor and current manager at Gerber Automotive, who would take the time to sit down with her and other students one-on-one to go over questions they might have had about class material.

After working in the field for a few years, Mariana says what she learned at Ivy Tech prepared her for working in auto body shops, the front office, and could eventually boost her up to management, which is her goal. However, she aspires to be the best at what she’s doing now before she gets to that point, hoping to break the misconceptions some people have about the field.

“Sometimes I don’t feel like I’m accepted. But showing my work ethic and knowledge, I feel like they’re left speechless.”

Today, Mariana has her parents’ support. She says they think what she’s doing is “cool”. She hopes her story will inspire others who are thinking about going into the automotive industry to forget the stereotypes and take the leap. It’s a growing field that’s constantly in demand. To other women who think they might want to pursue a similar career, Mariana offers this advice:

“Be patient, be confident, and be okay with failing.”