If you’re a working-class Spokanite, the prospect of a dream job may look different than the grind of a regular nine-to-five office job. But at Spokane Community College (SCC), students in the Automotive Technology Program are challenged to meet that difference head-on.
The department offers multiple different options for student pathways into the automotive industry, from engine and brake repair to even newly developed certification programs in electric and hybrid vehicle repair. These classes can even lead students to new opportunities in fields like boat and plane repair, as well as vinyl wrapping, painting, and welding.
“The program is constantly changing and evolving,” said Steven Mack, the chair of SCC’s Automotive Department. “The question for a lot of students is ‘what do you want to be when you grow up, or what do you want to change your career to?’”
The program provides students with educational opportunities that both require students to work with their hands and blend traditional classroom elements. And while many may perceive fields like automotive repair as blue-collar or “low-skilled” labor, educators like Mack seek to challenge that notion.
“The problem is the perception that if you’re not good at school you go into automotive,” Mack said. “But you’re doing a lot of reading, research, computer work, and diagnostics. You have to be knowledgeable in all of those ways.”
Over the last twenty years, blue-collar work has declined in popularity significantly. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 3.7 percent of Americans worked in installation, maintenance, and repair occupations in 2003 compared to 3 percent in 2023. Furthermore, this kind of work is becoming less fulfilling for the average American, leading to disinterest in fields like these – something SCC has actively attempted to account for in this program.
In February of this year, the department received a $150,000 grant for a custom Tesla Model 3 utilized for the classroom. This marks the program’s expansion into new territory towards the EV market, which Ashley Purdin – SCC’s Dean of Technical Education – talked about in an interview with Kayla Friedrich of SCC’s News and Events team.
“Incorporating electric vehicle certification into Spokane Community College’s automotive program is crucial to aligning education with the industry’s evolving needs,” Purdin said. “This proactive approach not only enhances student employability but also directly supports the automotive industry’s hiring requirements for professionals skilled in emerging electric vehicle technologies.”
Beyond the development of student success that new acquisitions like this allows, there also seems to be a sense of hope among the staff at SCC when it comes to the value of technical work. And with a deep respect for the industry and the continual growth of students within the department, educators like Mack feel optimistic about the program’s future.
“Whatever you want to do, we’re here to teach you,” Mack said. “If you can get past the perception that we’re all unprofessional and dirty, you’ll realize that we’re actually very educated. I think things are definitely getting better in that respect.”
