October 10, 2024

What inspired you to join the Mechanic to Mechanic podcast, and how was the experience for you?

         The Forsyth Tech Transportation Center was approached by Gary Saenz, Advanced Auto Parts Commercial Account Manager for this region and supporter of the Mechanic to Mechanic podcast to highlight the great things we are doing in the transportation programs at Forsyth Tech. I am always eager to chat about the wonderful programs and faculty we have at the Transportation Center.

         I listen to podcasts on a regular basis, and it was a great experience to be a part of one! Everyone from Mechanic to Mechanic were fun and professional, it was a great experience.

What key points about your program did you highlight during the podcast?

         We talked about the experienced and dedicated faculty in our programs, talked about the industry and the large demand for skilled technicians, and discussed the quality and up-to-date equipment we are using in our training. Other topics included how to enroll at Forsyth Tech and if there were any special requirements to be a student in these transportation programs. There are no specific requirements to enroll in our programs, however, programs like Toyota T-Ten do require an interview with the program coordinator before a potential student is accepted into the program.

A white man with dark hair and a mustache wears headphones and light blue button-up shirt. He is smiling.
Myles Regier, Associate Dean of Engineering & Transportation, during the podcast

         We had a great conversation about internships and apprenticeships. I highlighted the FT LEAP apprenticeship program and the pre-apprenticeship course for High School graduates exploring transportation programs at Forsyth Tech.

How do you feel podcasts like Mechanic to Mechanic help bring more attention to the challenges and innovations in the transportation technology industry?

         I feel it is a great tool to highlight schools, classes, and programs that will help technicians develop and build their skills. It brings attention to the industry demand for highly skilled technicians.

Can you share any memorable insights or stories from your students that you discussed on the podcast?

        I didn’t share any specific examples of stories with students in my interview because they were interviewing students independently. However, I did talk about my experience watching students’ progress through their time at Forsyth Tech and these programs. It is rewarding as an instructor to see students gain skills and knowledge from the time, they start their program to the time they finish. Commencement is a celebration of all that hard work they put in over the past couple of years.

A young Latine man wearing a blue and grey button-up wears headphones and speaks to a man, also wearing headphones a baseball cap and grey long-sleeved tee shirt, at a table. They both have large microphones on the table in front of them.
A Forsyth Tech Transportation Technology student participates in the podcast.

How does your program keep up with the rapidly changing technology in transportation, such as electric and autonomous vehicles?

         Forsyth Tech is working with other NC community colleges to align our curriculum and continuing education courses for Electric Vehicles (EVs) and other immerging technologies. Our manufacture support within our programs also helps to keep our equipment, tools, training aids, and curriculum current. The feedback and input from our industry partners is vital to ensure our students are gaining the skills they need to be successful in the industry. Faculty in our transportation programs also take advantage of professional development opportunities to get training on new technology and trends in their respective fields. All our Automotive faculty are required to keep up to date on their ASE certifications as well.

What advice would you give to someone looking to start a career in transportation technology, especially after hearing your podcast episode?

         Contact us! We love having conversations with potential students and their families. You are invited to schedule a tour of the Transportation Center where we will pair you with the coordinator of the program the prospective student is most interested in. That way the student or family members can ask the important questions and get answers from the person who knows the most about their program of interest. Folks interested in our programs can visit forsythtech.edu/programs-courses/ to find out more about the Transportation programs Forsyth Tech has to offer. The Transportation Center also has an advisor and other staff on-hand to help students begin the registration process, register for classes, as well as accepting payment for the upcoming semester.

How does industry collaboration, such as guest speakers or apprenticeships, play a role in your program’s success?

         These partnerships and collaborations play an important role in helping students find the career pathway that best fits their interests. Our Transportation programs are geared toward the technician side of training, but there are many more career pathways within those industries that students may or may not be aware of. Taking field trips and inviting guest speakers in to talk to our students about their roles in the industry is a great way for students to being building those relationships and hear about the career options in these industries. Not all are cut out to be technicians, but there are so many other opportunities in these industries that students can pursue if they are passionate about their respective field.

         Apprenticeships are great opportunities for students to build hands-on skills and relationships at a dealership or independent shop while they are taking classes in their chosen program. There is no replacement for the hands-on experience and if we/Forsyth Tech can get students those opportunities to build those skills in the field while taking classes, they will be much more prepared and successful in their field. Forsyth Tech has also taken this a step further with our pre-apprenticeship course in the summer semester. Students who may be undecided on which program they want to go into can take advantage of the pre-apprenticeship course and explore a handful of different programs and make an informed decision about which career pathway they would like to explore.     

What’s next for your program in terms of growth and innovation? Did you touch on that during the podcast?

         The Forsyth Tech Automotive program, with industry support, is building continuing education (CE) courses to begin in the Spring semester of 2025. We don’t have many offerings in this space currently, and with industry input we are developing these courses to help up-skill the current workforce in our service area to keep up with technological advancements in this industry as well as offering refresher courses to reinforce the current skills these technicians already possess. Something that we are very excited for with these CE courses is that there will be offerings in Spanish and in English. We feel it is important to offer classes that will best serve our area and including Spanish offerings will better meet the needs of our service area in Forsyth and Stokes counties.

How do you ensure your students are prepared not just for today’s transportation industry but for its future as well?

         Highly trained, certified, and skilled instructors, active advisory boards providing feedback on industry trends and their experiences with our current and graduated students, and with industry input keeping our training aids, equipment and tools up to date. It is our/Forsyth Tech’s top priority to ensure our courses and instruction are effective in training these students to provide them with the skills they will need to have long successful careers in the Transportation industry of their choice.