SPEAKER 1: Good morning.
Well, as everybody comes up here,
we kind of feel we're a team.
So what I basically did was say,
hey, somebody called me and said,
we'd like you speak.
I said, sure.
So everybody's coming.
And that's kind of
what we're doing here.
[APPLAUSE]
So the best part of this is we were
actually asked to speak about this.
And it's funny.
As Lisa mentioned
earlier, we're kind of
up for this possible
program of the year.
And so what we're going to
do is we're going to show you
that video, which
pretty much highlights
everything we've been working on.
[VIDEO PLAYBACK]
- The longstanding relationship
with our industry partners
so that students can get
internship, apprenticeship,
and hands on learning is
what really sets us apart.
- It makes us more relevant.
We are really trying to be the
program that our industry needs.
- Our program maintains
very close connections
with industry, which helps them to
address the innovations and growth
and development in the field.
- We work with our administration.
We let them know what's going on.
We make sure that we're out
there involved in the community.
We make sure we build
those connections.
- PCC is very great about
participating in industry-related
events.
They host quarterly
portfolio reviews
where industry comes in
to interview students that
are graduating from the program to
give them experience interviewing
as well as to help
place them in positions.
And in many cases, these students
are getting hired through this.
So it's actually a good job
placement program that they're
participating in as well.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
- One of the ways that we address
innovation in the industry
is to make sure students have
a lot of hands on practice.
One of the best things
that we have is,
really, the car is part of
the classroom in our program.
- In every class and
every step of the way,
we get to work on vehicles
in various aspects,
from working on brakes to
steering and suspension to HVAC
and working on AC units.
- It runs a lot like a real shop.
- We've got school
vehicles, about 60 of them
that the students work on.
As they go along
through the program,
they will start working
on customer vehicles.
- They get real world
experience fixing actual cars,
and all of that activity
is the exact same thing
they'll do when they
become that working
technician on their first job.
- It feels really great to be
able to work on these projects
and know that I can do them.
It's very empowering
to start from having
a basic knowledge about vehicles to
really having in-depth knowledge,
and just the skill set to do
it, and the support system
with my instructors to
be able to push forward.
- The industry is
changing day by day.
And so we want to make sure that
we're preparing students now
with skills that are
transferable, even
if there are new
technologies and new fuels
as they enter the job market.
- We can give you
those base essentials
that will make it to where no
matter what the technology is,
you will know, at the core,
how that system works.
You're going to be confident in
facing those new technologies.
- Our automotive
program has been very
successful in funding
through the school
because of the completion rate and
how successful our students are.
- We've committed to
this program by being
creative with the
way that we leverage
our resources to provide equipment
that will be current for students.
- We're supported both by
the industry and our school
and other organizations
that we're a part of.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
- I firmly believe that
what makes this program
special is our faculty,
our instructional support
staff, and our students.
They are an incredible
group of people
who create a culture of
community learning, fun.
- The staff is what really
makes the difference.
These instructors really
care about their students.
They really care about the industry.
They all continue to
reeducate themselves
and stay on top of the information.
- All of our instructors
in our program
are always trying to make the
program better and more interesting
and more relevant for students.
- We love being here,
and we love teaching.
Our purpose is to be here
to help our students.
And so everything we do
revolves around that.
And we just become
kind of a big family,
and that's what makes us so special.
- Every instructor here has
taken extra time out of their day
after school to instruct
me, take extra time
to show me how to do things.
- I think that is something
that sets this program apart,
is that extra effort that gets put
in by every person in this staff.
- We want to make sure
that industry has who
they need to fill their job roles.
And we want to make sure our
students, more than anything else,
have everything, all
the tools they can have,
to be successful in industry.
Our industry needs new technicians.
And so if a student wants to
have a job in some capacity,
it doesn't matter what, if
they want it, they can get it.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[END PLAYBACK]
[APPLAUSE]
SPEAKER 1: Thank you.
We are really proud of
the family that we are.
And I think it
probably is really what
sets us apart and helps our students
be the success that they are.
And so as Stedman
so eloquently says,
you know, this big
family that we are?
We actually like each other.
Thank you.
[APPLAUSE]
