Are you interested in automotive technology or heavy equipment and diesel technology? Do you want to get an education while having the perfect mix of in-class and lab instruction? Is a state-of-the-art car shop and instructors with extensive knowledge, experience, and training appealing to you? If any of these apply, you should consider checking out the automotive program at LBCC!
The facility is cutting-edge with two shops in two buildings that are big enough to simulate real-life job environments. Along with the lobby, two shops, and multiple rooms for simulations, there are many classrooms that are fit for the training needs you’d expect: Some have electrical training and display boards, some hold specialty tools for more advanced students, as well as traditional classrooms with tables, chairs, and a projector. It’s located in Lebanon, in the Advanced Transportation Technology Center.
Hear from one of the program’s instructional assistants, Francis Tice, about the specifics of the program and her expertise. Also click here for the program overview to get more of a class-load and length idea.
How is the program overall structured?
We have several companies for trucks, farming equipment, excavating equipment, and even school districts that are able to come in and choose students to sponsor. Right now, there are a lot of Coastline, Pape, and John Deere sponsored students, including one who’s sponsored by the Salem-Keizer school district. Once he graduates, he’ll be a bus technician.
Sponsored students get their school paid for and usually go to work for the respective company. The companies will also sometimes donate things for us to work on which is really nice because the students need to do live testing as part of the program.
Francis said that pre-COVID the program had about 20 students to four instructors but at the moment there’s about half that now.
What do students learn in the program?
The program is meant to have us ready to be trained out in the field. Each of the instructors are very careful in helping place students and are really involved in encouraging what they’re good at. Even if you're not sure, the instructors can lead the way based on what they notice. That’s why they have many certifications through the Associated Equipment Distributors (AED).
How are classes structured?
It’s a mix of lab and classroom time but mostly lab work. The students in the program take classes like shop skills, electrical and electronic systems, technical writing, customer service, and first aid and CPR. The program as a whole will take seven terms, including a CWE lab during the summer.
What kind of salary can graduates from your program expect in future jobs?
The expected salary that some of these students can expect is around $37,00-$51,000, but it varies depending on which specialty and company they go into. Luckily, it’s a pretty versatile job if they ever decide to switch careers.
Francis Tice, Instructional Assistant:
Francis Tice posing with one of four motorcycles in the possession of the HED Tech program.
“I had a rough time growing up and I had a counselor who was concerned about me and told me about this automotive program when I was leaving high school. So, I got into it, started with 60 guys plus me and finished it out with 13 guys plus me.
It was the hands-on type program that originally attracted me here. We couldn’t touch or work on anything at Umpqua Community College because there wasn't enough space for everybody. The shop was probably a quarter of the floor space here.
One of my jobs right now is going to be revamping our whole inventory system because it’s obviously very messy.
I’m also working on a project with the F-450 truck in the back. The engine is in the inventory room right now and I’m working on rewiring it and making it work again. I worked as a school bus driver for three and a half years so I do have experience in working with bigger engines, but even this is advanced for me.”
Tice, uncovering the engine she's working on.
Tice said that her engine remake project is on hold until sufficient funding is available through grants and scholarships. She said that she mostly needs to take out and switch a lot with another engine in the shop.
“The main issue with engines like these is that they have a lot of emissions problems so I can remove those and delete the problem by swapping parts with the functioning engine. If I work 40 hours a week, it might take a week or two? I have a lot of experience working on trucks and farming equipment so I have worked on plenty of engines but this one is advanced for me. Luckily, the instructors are helping out with it but right now we’re working on other things and we need to collect more money from scholarships and grants and stuff so it’s being put aside for now.”
How does this program differ from the rest in Oregon?
We really want to set the tone for the nation; we want to be good; we want to be the best and we’re trying to display that. We have the best equipment and all of our instructors are so well trained and have real-life experience. Plus, we advertise to and host all kinds of students from all over the nation who have a variety of skills and experiences that are applicable to their career. A lot of the girls I'm seeing that come through have already kind of been raised around it, either farming or whatever, they've already seen some of the stuff. We don't usually get the girls who’ve never seen these things. It's hard to get girls into this, it's easier to get them into automotive, but if you start there, you can always come here too, so some of them can kind of combine the two. That seems to be the tone for a lot of the students who choose to transfer majors.
Students part of Gar Burrough's Steering and Suspension class concentrate on putting the front axle of this truck back on.
Gar Burrough's looking over the student's work while they help each other in reattaching the front axle of a truck they've been working on.
Francisco, one of the students from South California, and one who is getting sponsored by Coastline, working on putting a car piece back together.
Daniel, who is from McCall, Idaho, helps his classmates with working on this truck. Daniel now lives in Lebanon, and like many other out-of-town students, misses his home. Also like many other students, he came for the program and is glad to be able to study here.
A donation from CAT, a heavy equipment manufacturing company and one that sponsors students in this program. This is a Caterpillar Excavator.
Student, Elijah, demonstrates how battery testing works.
Hear from two staff of the Automotives Tech program, RJ Ehlers who is Chair of the Board, and Nick Garber who is the main Instructional Assistant. You can also click here for a program map to see if the course is right for you.
What do students learn in your automotive program?
Students are trained and certified to use four-wheel alignment machinery and tire balancing equipment, Snap-On and other factory scanning tools to diagnose modern computerized electronic systems, how to analyze horsepower, speed, torque and simulate emissions testing using the Mustang Chassis Dynamometer, said RJ Ehlers, Chair of the Board of Automotive Technology.
How are classes structured?
The program combines classroom and hands-on lab instruction. We certify students through Chrysler Dodge, Subaru, Mercedes, Toyota and Snap-On tools where we also sometimes have cars donated to us for students to play with. Snap-On donates a lot of tools to us as well which is helpful since third term students will get their own set of tools.
Most beginning and continuing students work on things as they’re learning them while more advanced students and almost-graduates work in the shop on projects they have to finish.
When one looks around the community, what kinds of places might they find CTE graduates?
Well, you can really do a lot with the skills and degree you get here. Lots of students will go to the dealerships through our program and work for them, others go to work for some private car shops or like, ‘mom-and-pop’ shops. Some might go sell car parts or tools, become car repairmen. It’s a pretty versatile area.
A car transmission. This, and many other transmissions like it, sit in a lab room for students in the Automotives program to work on. This room is also called the 'cadaver' room as lots of these parts are covered by blue, plastic 'body sheets.'
A row of cars which are sitting in the state-of-the-art auto shop. Many of the cars here have been donated by dealerships which sponsor students in the program. These dealerships include Chrysler, Dodge, Subaru, Mercedes and Toyota. The ATTC uses these companies and Snap-On tools to certify students as well.
Shown front-to-back: A Honda Civic, Subaru Legacy, and a Chevrolet sit in the Automotive shop at the ATTC in Lebanon.
Dave, looking at the camera, who is a student majoring in the Automotive program said he's there because his grandfather taught him how to work on cars. Joshua, who is seated next to him, is in the field because he worked at Lowes for six years, which he left because he wasn't happy there and had trouble providing for his family. Working on cars was already a hobby of his so he jumped into taking a few years to make it a career. Joseph, with the red hair, has been working on mechanical functions and performance cars.
The students who are in this program and Heavy Equipment/Diesel Technology all have different backgrounds and reasonings for why they are in the field. Something there is a consensus about, however, is this: The CTE programs at LBCC are the place for them.
If you or someone you know is interested in something in the mechanic or technician field, be sure to check out these programs.