Auto schools and skillsUSA

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Princess Valiant

Princess Valiant

A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
FABO Gold Member
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Seems the automotive world has really changed in the last 10 years but I can say that when I was in automotive school, my school was associated with VICA club (vocational and industrial clubs of America).

The skillsUSA competition was AMAZING!!!

If you are in an automotive school that does not associate with VICA club, you might ask the directors to get involved. If your school is involved with it, it's a great thing to join.

 
Our VICA picnic in 1985 was a BLAST.

45 high school kids basically un-escorted in a park for the better part of a school day.

They also sponsored our "field trip" to Carl Casper's Custom Auto Show.
 
Vocational programs are a BIG part of what's missing and wrong with a LOT of school systems. They closed down the vocational wing of our county's school years ago. I was even approached by one of the school administrators about restarting the auto shop about a year or so ago. I told her "maybe 20 years ago".
 
RustyRatRod said:
Vocational programs are a BIG part of what's missing and wrong with a LOT of school systems. They closed down the vocational wing of our county's school years ago. I was even approached by one of the school administrators about restarting the auto shop about a year or so ago. I told her "maybe 20 years ago".
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And that is a shame. The country is really short on trained vocational positions, plumbers, electricians, etc. while being long on people with useless college degrees.
 
I was in the BOE program (Business Office Education) and loved it. Senior year was half time with the other half at Wahl Insurance Agency, getting paid along with school credit.

Thankfully there is a new push to resurrect trade programs!!! I hope it not only expands but is met with great demand and enthusiasm.

High school offers trade courses so students can position themselves for jobs

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CudaChick1968 said:
I was in the BOE program (Business Office Education) and loved it. Senior year was half time with the other half at Wahl Insurance Agency, getting paid along with school credit.

Thankfully there is a new push to resurrect trade programs!!! I hope it not only expands but is met with great demand and enthusiasm.

High school offers trade courses so students can position themselves for jobs

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In Missouri it was C.O.E. Cooperative Occupational Education. Like you, I went to school half a day, and worked the other half, at a trade I retired from after 48 years. Over the years, as a manager, I had several employees work for me, with college degrees.
 
All of us car guys (mech and body shop) used to hit on the bus-ed chicks down the hall and around the corner :)

Rhonda, one of my best friends was in steno/clerical and ended up owning the pizza place some of us used to hang out at !
 
I did work at a goodyear shop the first part of my senior year but that was a horrible experience.

However, I applied the diagnostic skills and "assembly line mentality" to other professions and eventually to IT.

It's basically the same skill-set, just smaller and cleaner!
 
YY1 said:
All of us car guys (mech and body shop) used to hit on the bus-ed chicks down the hall and around the corner :)

Rhonda, one of my best friends was in steno/clerical and ended up owning the pizza place some of us used to hang out at !
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It led to a lucrative legal career that lasted almost 21 years til Hurricane Katrina changed my path.

The VICA guys at Canon City High School were also the football players, weightlifters and rodeo cowboys who got lots of female attention. We had a "hot" young HomeEc teacher too so her class was always co-ed.

I can't imagine what teen girls find attractive these days; I've seen today's teenage boys. Yikes. :(
 
CudaChick1968 said:
It led to a lucrative legal career that lasted almost 21 years til Hurricane Katrina changed my path.

The VICA guys at Canon City High School were also the football players, weightlifters and rodeo cowboys who got lots of female attention. We had a "hot" young HomeEc teacher too so her class was always co-ed.

I can't imagine what teen girls find attractive these days; I've seen today's teenage boys. Yikes. :(
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Yeah, we had a smokin hot DECA (Distributive Education Club of America) teacher. She was my homeroom teacher. DECA was where you learned all about how to find good employment, how to dress, communicate and on and on. I used to purposely get detention time after time in her room. She finally picked up on the hint one afternoon. I'll just stop "right there". LOL
 
The nationals were in Kansas city, Missouri the year I went. There were people from everywhere in the country. We all had lapel pins from our state and we had extras to trade with other states.
It's amazing how many times you could find a state pin attached to a paper with a phone number.

There were some real cowboys from Wyoming. I found some mopar guys from there, ended up sending a 69 dart and a 70 coronet to Wyoming and one of my 72 demons came from there, even still has a Wyoming plate on it LOL
 
I was in the VOC-ED (VICA) when I was in high school the last two years. The first year was classroom & some hands on mechanical stuff, second year we worked half days at dealerships & independent shops. We were paid basically to go to school, provided we maintained a "C" average or better. If we wanted to, we could go full time the summer between first & second year. I met some very interesting people with different ways of accomplishing the same end result.
 
We had ZERO athletes in the vocational wing.

They were mostly all in college prep classes.
 
I was the class president in VICA in my school in 1981-82 year, we built and sold picnic tables to raise money, had volleyball tournament's and picnics, that was some of the best times of my life. I had Autobody for my class, but we had Business, Auto mechanics, Carpentry, Welding and Heating and Air classes.
 
Rainy Day Auto said:
Seems the automotive world has really changed in the last 10 years but I can say that when I was in automotive school, my school was associated with VICA club (vocational and industrial clubs of America).

The skillsUSA competition was AMAZING!!!

If you are in an automotive school that does not associate with VICA club, you might ask the directors to get involved. If your school is involved with it, it's a great thing to join.

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Sounds interesting. My son's auto technician department at the local college doesn't associate. We'll look into it more. Thanks!
 
Mopar-Mitch said:
I was the class president in VICA in my school in 1981-82 year, we built and sold picnic tables to raise money, had volleyball tournament's and picnics, that was some of the best times of my life. I had Autobody for my class, but we had Business, Auto mechanics, Carpentry, Welding and Heating and Air classes.
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I can understand when you say, "some of the best times of my life" I miss college and auto classes and all the great times.

Two main instructors I had at the time have passed away. I can't believe how time flies.
 
Rainy Day Auto said:
I can understand when you say, "some of the best times of my life" I miss college and auto classes and all the great times.

Two main instructors I had at the time have passed away. I can't believe how time flies.
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Same here both auto mechanics teachers have passed away, they were Smith's and were brothers, my autobody teacher has retired and his son teaches the class now.
 
I went to a vocational school for auto mechanics. We had other course available, like printing, and aircraft mechanics, etc. The only drawbacks were kids who didn't make the grade in the trades, were ill prepared for the labor force. Importance in other subjects were minimal ( as you probably see in my grammar from time to time). I did very well in shop, well enough to get into GM training center for advance training, but then the draft. I think the loss of actual service stations has cost a lot of teenagers a great boost up in the automotive trade. I know I really benefited in school because of gas station mechanical experience.
 
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I put together tool sets and donate them to a Vocational school. For the guys/gals to take home. I have donated over 100 sets, the worst tool I include is Craftsman....NO harbor freight anything.....I buy lots and separate everything....Estates mostly. I find it rewarding.....
 
Mopar Tim said:
I put together tool sets and donate them to a Vocational school. For the guys/gals to take home. I have donated over 100 sets, the worst tool I include is Craftsman....NO harbor freight anything.....I buy lots and separate everything....Estates mostly. I find it rewarding.....
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Worst tool is craftsman!!! Really!!!!
My entire tool set is craftsman and I wouldn't use anything else. I even worked at Sears so I could get the employee discount.

Craftsman for life. :D
 
Found another pin in all the digging through old stuff. Always thought this one is cool.

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Rainy Day Auto said:
Worst tool is craftsman!!! Really!!!!
My entire tool set is craftsman and I wouldn't use anything else. I even worked at Sears so I could get the employee discount.

Craftsman for life. :D
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Rainy, I'm going to guess, being a tool man, by worst, he probably actually meant lowest priced. (Just guessing, mind you) I also have several Craftsman tools, most American made, but some import. There is a quality difference. I keep waiting to see if Stanley is actually going to bring production back home.
 
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