Partnering With The Warsaw Area Career Center
Community
7 months ago
Did you know that Boggs Automotive has partnered with the Warsaw Area Career Center (WACC) to teach high school students Automotive Services Technology courses?
Warsaw Community High School has more than 40 pathways students can take in both the Warsaw community as well as Tippecanoe Valley area schools. Areas of study include automotive, aerospace, cosmetology, fire rescue, criminal justice, social services, medical assistance, and more.
How Boggs Automotive Got Involved
In 2022, Julie and Andy Tuinstra got connected with Ben Barkey, Principal of WACC, who asked Andy to teach the program based on prior feedback from students and local automotive shops that had participated in the past.
Having hired two students who had gone through the WACC Automotive Services Technology program, Andy had a unique perspective on how best to instruct his students to succeed. Prior instructors had focused on starting students with very high-level mechanic work, which wasn’t the way Andy wanted to ensure his students’ success.
Instead, Andy works with his students to ensure they have the basic automotive knowledge and skills to build on as they receive more advanced training in the future. He began teaching his first group of students in August 2023.
On-Site, On-The-Job Training
This school year, students attend class at Boggs Pit Stop. They have classroom time with Andy upstairs, then move down to the garage for hands-on learning. Students learn and are supervised by Boggs mechanics as they perform:
- Oil Changes
- Tire Repair
- Tire Mounting & Balancing
- Tire Replacements
- Brake Work
Andy created the course curriculum with a focus on ensuring his students (typically juniors and seniors) have the skills necessary to succeed when they are hired at local auto repair shops and dealerships.
The course is divided into four segments:
- Principles Of Automotive Class
- Brake Class
- Steering & Suspension
- Automotive Capstone (when students enter the workforce in their second year)
Community Connections
This school year there are 19 students in their first year of Automotive Services Technology study and 10 students who are in their second year. At the beginning of 2024, when students return after winter break, the second-year students will be heading out into the local community to work.
WACC reaches out to all the local automotive shops and those who are interested will schedule student interviews. Past participants have included Toyota of Warsaw, Lakeside Chevrolet, R&G Auto & Truck Repair, Kerlin Motors, and more.
Boggs Driver Benefits
As an added benefit to WCHS/WACC staff, Boggs Automotive, and the WACC Automotive Program joined forces to provide the Boggs Driver free pick-up service where Boggs employees pick up the vehicle being worked on and return it, but the students at WACC Automotive perform the work.
This is a cost-saving benefit for teachers and staff as they aren’t charged for labor. Instead, WACC Automotive only charges for the parts required to repair their vehicle.
This is also a great way for students to get more experience and work with a variety of vehicles and repairs while also giving back to the community.
Keep Your Vehicle Safe On The Road With Boggs Automotive
We’re proud to be your local full-service car repair and maintenance shop with two convenient locations in Warsaw. We also have free pick-up available with our Boggs Driver service for oil changes and preventative maintenance services.
No appointment is necessary for oil changes at Boggs Pit Stop or Boggs Automotive, so you can just stop by! If you’d like to schedule any other car repair services, just click below to give us a call.
