With the full support of the Marin County Office of Education and Shifting Gears, plans for the technical education center at Terra Linda were released, and more than 100 individual contributors combined to provide $1.6 million in donations, making the outdoor covered classroom structure and the ability to pay skilled trades instructors a reality.
https://www.marinij.com/2023/08/20/editorial-marins-new-technical-education-center-shows-an-ability-to-fill-important-need/
https://www.marinschools.org/programs-services/programs/college-and-career-readiness-new/regional-occupational-program-rop/automotive-technology
Tom O’Neill, founder of the Tiburon Classic Car Show, wrote a story about the difficulty faced when companies try to find young people to work on cars, a need that was going unfilled. In response, Goodman challenged him to go beyond talking about the problem and join in finding a solution.
Tom O’Neill, founder of the Tiburon Classic Car Show, wrote a story about the difficulty faced when companies try to find young people to work on cars, a need that was going unfilled. In response, Goodman challenged him to go beyond talking about the problem and join in finding a solution.
O’Neill and Goodman came up with an idea for a class in automobile appreciation and preservation that’s distinctly different from the two traditional auto shop classes that Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley and Terra Linda High School in San Rafael offer. Among the differences, the class is open to students at high schools throughout the county, and it takes place in the evening, so students are there by choice, not just to get credits.
The pair approached the Marin County Superintendent of Schools, to pitch their concept for the new class and got a positive response.
Next, they began working Ken Lippi, the Deputy Superintendent of Schools and director of the ROP and School to Career programs, and the Director of College and Career Readiness programs, to create a curriculum.
Lippi explains that Goodman and O’Neill wanted to be involved, so they worked with them to design a curriculum that would fit the state’s framework using the standards for automotive repair. The class—Car Appreciation and Preservation Program—is fully accredited, and Terra Linda HS began offering it to students throughout Marin County in the fall semester of 2019.
Shifting Gears is currently paying for the cost of the class, which is close to $7,000 a year. Lippi describes Goodman as tireless, passionate and hands-on. He frequently visits classes and takes cars, such as his Model T, to classes so students can see them up close, and he’s engaged and helps make sure the class is high quality. “He tunes into these kids so well,” says Lippi. “It’s unique to find someone who’s as passionate for all the right reasons.”
CAPP meets on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in a classroom with a shop filled with automobile parts next door. Callas explains that the class is more project-based than his day classes, so students spend more time working with their hands and less on academic work.
Shifting Gears is currently paying for the cost of the class, which is close to $7,000 a year. Lippi describes Goodman as tireless, passionate and hands-on. He frequently visits classes and takes cars, such as his Model T, to classes so students can see them up close, and he’s engaged and helps make sure the class is high quality. “He tunes into these kids so well,” says Lippi. “It’s unique to find someone who’s as passionate for all the right reasons.”
CAPP meets on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in a classroom with a shop filled with automobile parts next door. Callas explains that the class is more project-based than his day classes, so students spend more time working with their hands and less on academic work.
They get credit for the time they spend in class and a pass or fail grade, whereas students in day classes require a grade for their GPA. “Students come to class to learn, and in the evening, they are here because they want to be, they want to learn all about cars. That’s why I enjoy this class so much.” he says. He adds that the time Goodman, O’Neill and other members of Shifting Gears spend with the students sharing history and cars is invaluable, and the students enjoy having them. “Charlie and Tom are awesome,” he says, and the students ask them lots of questions and are prepared to respond to questions the men direct at them.
Students take apart engines that have been donated and then reassemble them, and they learn about carburetors, hydraulic brakes and manual transmissions by working on them as well. The school has a pickup truck so they learn to drive a stick shift, and “They have a great time. Every single one kills it, and they’re laughing, because they don’t get it right,” he says.
To enrich learning, Shifting Gears also arranges for students to go on field trips. When they visited Blake’s Auto Body in San Rafael, the staff at Blake’s had fenders and hoods waiting for them. They gave each student a hammer and told them to make a dent, and then they taught them how to mend the dents and paint the area they’d repaired. The class also visited Franzini Brothers upholstery shop in San Rafael. In addition, Shifting Gears arranged a weekend outing to Sonoma Raceway in March, where students could see racecars up close and get inside.
Now at the end of its fourth year, CAPP continues to prove its worth. “The class is up and running and is very successful. It’s a model for growth.” says Lippi. And as such, it’s part of the inspiration for creating a CTE center to give high school students a variety of options in vocational education.
https://www.northbaybiz.com/2023/07/20/a-wrench-in-the-works/
https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1707494670/marinschoolsorg/iej19sqpik6i3goosv5d/May8th2019meetingminutes.pdf
https://www.shiftinggearsusa.com/
Yes,it's hardly rocket science is it! Same in Aus. ;for too long our govts. have been focussed only on academia. Most secondary school trade skills courses closed.Most tertiary trade colleges closed. Now the politicians wonder why we have no skilled trades people to build,repair etc. !! They whinge about the lack of housing while pushing for more population...go figure!
ReplyDeleteFabulous program in Marin County. We need skilled craftsmen and women.
ReplyDeleteagreed. Why won't any company/corporation TRAIN people for the jobs they need to fill INSTEAD of posting job openings for applicants with 5 years or more of experience, and 4 years college.
DeleteI KNOW most people aren't great at everything, but MOST people can learn a LOT and be GOOD at a LOT.
But no one will $#^%*&Y*! train anyone!
I apply to jobs everyday, the ones I know I can do, but am stunned by how many I have to pass on because they will ONLY hire people with 5 or 10 years experience on THAT SPECIFIC job.
6 months of on the job training will have most people adequately able to perform nearly any job, and 2 years, and they are darn near expert at it.
But every GD MFing job description I see is only trying to hire the person who just quit doing that damn job for the competition, so, what's the reason they'd apply for it with this other company?
It's so damn frustrating to hear the company owners BITCH and CRY and WAIL about not being able to find anyone to hire in construction, electrical, plumbing, welding.
TRAIN ME! I'd love to be a framer, cabinet maker, drywaller, painter, electrician, or welder (hell no, I'm not doing any plumbing that's wet. New build never used plumbing only.)
If I started typing out all the jobs I've had, things I've done well, etc it would be a damn long list. Hell, my resume is 3 pages long, and that is not including any job I was at for less than 6 months!
I love listening to Rowes podcasts, the first two years of "The way I heard it " were like the old Paul Harvey , rest of the story.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoy listening to the "under the hood" podcast, hosted by two or three of THE most knowledgeable mechanics Ive ever heard.
If you like Paul Harvey AND car stuff, you'd love the episode about Route 66 on the podcast "Tracing the Path". It's truly a mixture of both .
ReplyDelete