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This article was published 14/01/2019 (2604 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Bring them your oil changes, your flat tires, your worn down brake pads — the automotive technology students at Collège Sturgeon Heights Collegiate can handle it all.
The high school’s auto shop has been offering vehicle repairs to the public for decades but teacher Eran Plotnik wants to give his students more opportunities to hone their skills.
“It’s not just practising on some of the old vehicles where we can mimic some of the issues; it’s actually live as it happens,” Plotnik said.
As vehicle technology becomes more complex, the garage requires a higher volume of cars coming in so students can get enough experience — a reality that prompted Plotnik to start advertising the services to a wider swath of the community this semester.
“In the past the students were able to do a lot of work because the vehicles were not as complicated and sophisticated,” he said. “Now, we’re really running into an era where there’s more and more electronics and computerized systems that are too challenging of a job for entry-level students to work on.”
Even if a job is too complex for the students to tackle, Plotnik said they will still be able to diagnose the problem and suggest a different course of action.
The shop acts like a private garage in every way. Customers call to make an appointment and pick up their vehicle when the work is finished. The only difference is that, as a public school, Sturgeon Heights can’t charge for labour so customers are only charged for parts.
Plotnik stresses that this isn’t an effort to compete with retailers, but to get students prepared for jobs after graduation.
“In order for these students to work at these facilities they need to be trained somewhere, so we’re not trying to take work away, just give them the exposure,” he said.
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Sturgeon Heights is one of a handful of Winnipeg schools designated to offer level one apprenticeships, which means Grade 12 students enrolled in the program graduate with one year of industry experience under their belts.
Andrew Degroot is in the apprenticeship program and has always had a passion for working on vehicles.
“I just fell in love with working on vehicles and I work on my own all the time, so that’s what I wanted to do in the future,” he said. “That was my No. 1 priority coming to this school was to do auto mechanics.”
Degroot and his classmate Max Thibodeau both agree that getting hands-on experience working on customers’ cars has helped expand their understanding of the field.
“I think it’s good because you’re doing a little bit of community service by helping people with their vehicles and learning where each different component is on each brand,” Thibodeau said.
Donovan Larouche hasn’t committed to the apprenticeship program yet, but said the skills he’s picked up in the classroom are beneficial for the future.
“It’s something that I don’t necessarily want to do as a career, but it’s good to have as a hobby so I can work on my own vehicle,” he said.
All of the work is done in the shop under the supervision of teachers, like Plotnik, who have experience as an automotive technician.
Those interested in making an appointment can send an email to eplotnik@sjsd.net or call 204-888-0684.
Bring them your oil changes, your flat tires, your worn down brake pads — the automotive technology students at Collège Sturgeon Heights Collegiate can handle it all.
The high school’s auto shop has been offering vehicle repairs to the public for decades but teacher Eran Plotnik wants to give his students more opportunities to hone their skills.
Eva Wasney
Donovan Larouche works on a vehicle in Collegé Sturgeon Heights Collegiate's automotive technology program while Andrew Degroot (right) and Max Thibodeau look on.
“It’s not just practising on some of the old vehicles where we can mimic some of the issues; it’s actually live as it happens,” Plotnik said.
As vehicle technology becomes more complex, the garage requires a higher volume of cars coming in so students can get enough experience — a reality that prompted Plotnik to start advertising the services to a wider swath of the community this semester.
“In the past the students were able to do a lot of work because the vehicles were not as complicated and sophisticated,” he said. “Now, we’re really running into an era where there’s more and more electronics and computerized systems that are too challenging of a job for entry-level students to work on.”
Even if a job is too complex for the students to tackle, Plotnik said they will still be able to diagnose the problem and suggest a different course of action.
The shop acts like a private garage in every way. Customers call to make an appointment and pick up their vehicle when the work is finished. The only difference is that, as a public school, Sturgeon Heights can’t charge for labour so customers are only charged for parts.
Plotnik stresses that this isn’t an effort to compete with retailers, but to get students prepared for jobs after graduation.
“In order for these students to work at these facilities they need to be trained somewhere, so we’re not trying to take work away, just give them the exposure,” he said.
Eva Wasney
Grade 12 Collège Sturgeon Heights Collegiate students Max Thibodeau, Andrew Degroot and Donovan Larouche in the school’s auto shop.
Sturgeon Heights is one of a handful of Winnipeg schools designated to offer level one apprenticeships, which means Grade 12 students enrolled in the program graduate with one year of industry experience under their belts.
Andrew Degroot is in the apprenticeship program and has always had a passion for working on vehicles.
“I just fell in love with working on vehicles and I work on my own all the time, so that’s what I wanted to do in the future,” he said. “That was my No. 1 priority coming to this school was to do auto mechanics.”
Degroot and his classmate Max Thibodeau both agree that getting hands-on experience working on customers’ cars has helped expand their understanding of the field.
“I think it’s good because you’re doing a little bit of community service by helping people with their vehicles and learning where each different component is on each brand,” Thibodeau said.
Donovan Larouche hasn’t committed to the apprenticeship program yet, but said the skills he’s picked up in the classroom are beneficial for the future.
Eva Wasney
Collegé Sturgeon Heights Collegiate student Kieran Olson works on a vehicle in the school's automotive shop.
“It’s something that I don’t necessarily want to do as a career, but it’s good to have as a hobby so I can work on my own vehicle,” he said.
All of the work is done in the shop under the supervision of teachers, like Plotnik, who have experience as an automotive technician.
Those interested in making an appointment can send an email to eplotnik@sjsd.net or call 204-888-0684.
