HELENA — Now that the weather is changing, Helena College automotive students opened up shop for hands-on learning and free automotive inspections for the community.
“There is a lot more to it than just bringing in a car, fixing it, and then giving it back to the customer,” Jak Starkel, a Helena College student, said.
Starkel has loved cars since a young age, but when he saw the automotive shop at Helena College on a tour, he knew it was more than a love but also a career.
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He says that time in the classroom is just as important as hands-on experiences like this.
“The hands-on you go and build by actually going and doing everything, but you cannot do these things with your hands if you don’t have the mind.”
This opportunity for the 18 students in the program allows them to use the skills they learned this semester to help out their neighbors.
First-year students in the program worked more on the paperwork side of the inspection, while second-year students conducted scans and diagnostics.
Helena College instructor Dave Jones said, “So a big part of this is not only the students doing the physical inspection, but going and talking to the customers, explaining things to them, and learning professionalism that way.”
Over the two days, students inspected more than 20 vehicles, each for about 45 minutes.
Customer Dave Burningham saw the sign for free inspections on the side of the road and says he had a great experience. “When I pulled the car in, the boys came out, talked to me, and I felt really good about having someone who is a student work on it,” Burningham said.
These skills, coming to life through real-world experiences, are paving the way for students like Starkel.
Starkel said, “If you truly want to get a head start and build something of yourself and your own career, look into the trades, because no matter what, the trades will always be around.”
