Pratt Community College prides itself on being able to apply real-world insights and training when preparing students for the workforce.
It is a mutual benefit for students and businesses when they are brought together on campus through our technical programs. Students are able to meet with employers to ask questions about what it’s like on the job, and employers are able to offer insight into their evolving industries and find potential hires in the process.
Kelly Hamilton and Josh Proffit from the Mel Hambelton Ford dealership met with students at PCC’s Automotive Technology facility at Kingman High School to talk about what it’s like to work in a dealership and what they look for in new hires.
Students from Kingman, Medicine Lodge, Pratt, Attica and Norwich learned about the way new hires enter the workforce at their dealership as apprentices, and work their way all the way up to senior master technicians, as well as the overall operation of the service department.
They discussed the importance of communication and being thorough with inspections and repair orders, staying current with certifications as the industry evolves, how much money you can make and considerations when choosing a company to work for so it’s a good fit for yourself and the dealership.
Students asked questions about what a typical day is like for an auto technician, what kind of hours to expect, the different types of certifications required for different kinds of vehicles that are serviced, and what kind of benefits are offered.
Then they were able to check out new features on new vehicles under the hood and in the driver’s seat.
Automotive Technology Instructors in attendance were Tyler Wells from the Kingman facility, Daniel Meng from the Attica campus and Alan Ziegler and Philip Spillman from Pratt.
Visit our Automotive Technology program page for more information about each program location.
Mel Hambelton Ford visit to Kingman Automotive Technology Facility, Oct 2021.
