The Telescope

Issue Date: 11/16/09

Student Mechanics: Auto program teaches do-it-yourself skills

By Holly Meza

Hundreds of Palomar students drive to school - and most likely every day there is at least one driver that has car trouble, but may do not have the knowledge to fix the problem themselves.

At Palomar, students have a program where they can learn these skills.

In the Automotive and Diesel Technology program at Palomar, students can learn how to solve these problems themselves. The automotive technology program offers 15 classes, from specific lessons in automotive electricity and automotive air conditioning to general knowledge taught in auto maintenance and minor repair. Although there are many people who take auto classes to excel in their major, quite a few of them enroll in the program to simply have an understanding of how their car functions for emergency situations.

The program is funded like any other at Palomar. Although it has received Perkins money (financial aid) for equipment, the classes have suffered from financial cutbacks.

Mark Coppedge, a professor in the program, explained how he has five classes, and each has approximately 40 students.

"Each of those classes should be two classes," he said.

Palomar student Kawika Aledo has recognized the effects of such large class size.
"It's difficult to get anything done in (auto) shop when there's only one technician trying to help out 40 of us," Aledo said.

"Just to do a 5-minute oil change takes 15 to 20 minutes easily because there are so many students demanding help."

Not only is it difficult to get assistance, but getting department supplies has become a struggle as well, Coppedge said.

Coppedge added that despite financial shortfalls, the program is "improving, because we're getting new facilities and new insights."

The new facility, the Industrial Technologies Center, will be the home of the Automotive Technologies department. The construction has not started and has no definite date of completion. The new center will be paid for by money from Prop. M, the bonds that the community approved in November 2006.

Though finances can get in the way of many things, students are still excelling in the class.

"The class has given me a taste of what my future may look like," Aledo said. Aledo plans on becoming a master technician.
Another student, Erik Tyler, a fire science major, is using the class for his own personal benefit.

"This class has taught me how to be more professional when working on cars," Tyler said. "Before, I would fix things until they worked, (...) even if it wasn't the correct way to do the job."

He added, "Now I'm a little more careful and try to be neater and do jobs the correct way."

The auto and diesel programs are open to anyone. For more information go to their Web site or call 760-744-1150 ext. 2545.

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