In Automotive Collision Repair, students take cars that have been wrecked and find ways to put them back in their pre-accident condition. Students learn about the different aspects of collision repair such as polishing, waxing, straightening metal and much more. Junior Arturo Castillo is one of the star students in the Automotive Collision Repair class, and he continues to strive for the best.
“It actually feels like a job,” Castillo said. “It teaches me how to weld, how to fix this and that, how to paint and how to fix the [damage from a] car accident by myself.”
In Automotive Collision Repair I, students are introduced to the world of automotive and are taught different techniques and skills that can be used in the workforce. The majority of the class is lesson based, and students begin to learn the material. Meanwhile in Automotive Collision Repair II, the class is practically all hands on. Students work on cars that have been brought into the workshop and are expected to repair them however needed. This year, students are fixing an old Indy car, and they are planning to turn it into a wall hanger. They are going to paint it black and gold and put the WCC logo on it.
“We learn a lot in this class. We actually get to use a lot of tools that some shops or schools wouldn’t let us use, which is pretty cool,” Castillo said. “We get the chance to use tools that we have never used before, tear down paint and learn how to prime match a car.”
Castillo is hoping to make a hobby out of fixing and repairing cars. He took the class because he was always interested in cars, and him and his dad have always enjoyed watching videos of people building cars, fixing them up and completely transforming them.
As a sophomore, Castillo was awarded the Outstanding Student award by teacher Kevin Cannaday in his Automotive Collision Repair I class. By treating the program as a job and constantly striving to do his best, he was awarded for his exceptional work and will continue to impress others.
“It’s a lot of work and preparing, so one thing I tell myself is [to] keep doing the same thing, keep working and do what you need to do,” Castillo said. “One thing my dad told me is to just go out there and do your thing, just work to achieve what you want.”
Castillo understands that pursuing a career in car repair takes a lot of responsibility and hard work, but he is prepared for the challenge. When students graduate after completing the course, they will leave Warren as an entry level technician and receive a certificate of completion and can head straight into the workforce.
“Go out there, do what you need to do,” Castillo said. “Try to find different ways to figure things out, if you’re tired, go and drink some water or stretch out a little, at the end of the day though it’s about work.”