Auto Industry Relies on Houston Community College for Trained Technicians

HOUSTON, TX – The automotive and heavy vehicle repair industry is thriving in the Houston area. Increases in vehicle maintenance, repairs, and parts sales, changing technology, and a growing transportation industry are driving the need for more highly trained technicians and support staff.

Houston Community College (HCC) is meeting the demand by connecting students to entry-level and advanced employment opportunities through career specific job fairs at which representatives from the automotive and transportation industry are recruiting current HCC students and graduates.

HCC alum David Almanzan knows all too well what it can mean for students when given the opportunity to work for industry leaders. “After graduating from HCC, I had the opportunity to work with high-end super cars like McLaren, Ferrari, and Lamborghini,” says Almanzan. Because of his extensive experience gained from industry, Almanzan was hired as an adjunct instructor for the HCC automotive program.

One recent automotive career fair at the HCC Automotive Technology Training Center attracted 26 companies. Attending students networked and interviewed with industry specific employers offering more than 200 part-time and fulltime jobs in automotive technology, paint refinishing, collision repair, classic car restoration, car and auto parts sales, commercial truck and heavy vehicle repair, and fleet maintenance. Students also found that they could find work as AC technicians and diesel mechanics. 

Many employers in attendance also partner with HCC by providing scholarships, specialized curricula, equipment and supplies, and serving on advisory committees. “Our partners not only add value to our programs and instructional delivery, but they are instrumental in hiring our students,” says HCC Automotive Center of Excellence Dean David Vogel.

HCC is working to expand the program with innovative partnerships with Audi and others that will provide coursework coupled with hands-on training that can lead to certification and jobs with the automaker. “We are adding more specialized certifications that create pathways for graduates to find employment with leading transportation companies,” adds Vogel.

The Automotive Center of Excellence offers degrees and certificates in automotive technology, heavy vehicle and truck repair as well as auto body and collision repair. For more information, visit hccs.edu/automotive.

Featured

  • Greenheck Launches Optics Sensors for Kitchen Hoods

    Greenheck recently announced the launch of factory-installed optics sensors as an enhanced option for its kitchen ventilation hoods, according to a news release.

  • Beeville ISD Starts Construction on New Elementary School

    The Beeville Independent School District near Corpus Christi, Texas, recently began a construction project that will consolidate two existing, aging schools into a new elementary school, according to a news release. The district is partnering with Pfluger Architects and Spawglass General Contractors for the design and construction, respectively, of the new facility.

  • University of West Florida Opens New Laboratory Facility

    The University of West Florida recently announced that renovation work is complete on a new lab building for its campus in Pensacola, Fla., according to university news. Building 80 will serve as the home to the university’s civil engineering program and the Tyler Chase Norwood Construction Management Program.

  • MiraCosta College Completes $42.5M Chemistry, Biotechnology Building

    MiraCosta College in Oceanside, Calif., recently finished construction on a new, $42.5-million Chemistry and Biotechnology Building, according to a news release. The university partnered with builder C.W. Driver Companies and HED Architects on the 20,630-square-foot facility, which will serve the school’s expanding STEM programs.

Digital Edition