This marks the second year in a row that MassBay Community College and Framingham High School have hosted the Automotive Technology Summer Boot Camp. The boot camp, funded by Framingham Public Schools, MassBay and through a Youth Connections/MassHire grant, will provide 25 juniors and seniors from Framingham High School the opportunity to participate in an intensive, hands-on, three-week workshop to learn more about the automotive industry. The program was created to provide students with a career exploration in high-demand STEM fields.
“The automotive industry continues to face a severe shortage of trained automotive technicians, and MassBay’s outstanding automotive technology program is uniquely positioned to help,” said MassBay Automotive Technology Dean David Protano. “This is our second year working with our partners at Framingham High School to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the automotive industry, including the field, what it takes to become a technician, and how working at a dealership or independent auto shop can provide a lucrative and stable career path. We hope that students who participate in the boot camp will go on to work in the automotive industry, building a strong pipeline of the local workforce.”
MassBay’s automotive faculty designed an extensive curriculum that includes safety and tool maintenance, tire repair and balancing, warranty and recall services, auto repair pay structure, diagnostic processes, automotive lab safety and an overview of other automotive services. In addition to free automotive classes, students who participate in the program receive a $1,500 stipend, and students who complete the program will receive an internship with McGovern Automotive Group to immerse themselves in the automotive industry.
“In the second year of Framingham High School’s Student Success Academy (SSA), we continue to expand opportunities for our students,” said Michelle McGahan, Assistant Principal at Framingham High School. “One of the goals of SSA is to allow students to explore/develop their passions and plan for their futures. We accomplish this through career experiences, exploration and education in a variety of career pathways. Julie O’Leary, Career Development Coordinator, helped continue this partnership and boot camp by organizing multiple field trips to MassBay Automotive Technology this year. The boot camp teaches students about careers and skills needed in the automotive industry so they will hopefully be better prepared to make informed decisions about their path after high school.”
Framingham High School and Youth Connections (formerly MassHire) have an extensive partnership focused on education and career exploration. The Youth Connections grant focused on connecting students to highly engaging, paid STEM internships while increasing opportunities for underrepresented high school students in STEM fields. A portion of the grant was used to fund MassBay’s summer automotive tech bootcamp.
“I knew very little about cars before attending this workshop, and it has definitely changed my perspective on the auto technology industry,” said Cat Barry, who attended last year as a senior at Framingham High School. “It was a great program and I learned so much in just a few days. There are so many parts and functions to a car and this program only scratched the surface of the subject. I got my tires rotated today and now I feel confident I can change a tire on my own, which I know is a useful life skill. This workshop has opened my eyes to opportunities in the STEM fields.”
MassBay’s Auto Technology is the leading automotive training facility in the New England region. We offer programs sponsored by four major automotive brands, including BMW, Toyota/Lexus, General Motors, and JEEP/Chrysler/Dodge/Ram. In addition, MassBay also offers a manufacturer-neutral All Brands General Studies program, providing students with a broad education and hands-on training in a variety of makes and models. Students gain experience with the latest automobiles using state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment. The program includes a paid co-ed program, allowing students to earn income and college credit while learning in a professional environment. These programs provide students with in-depth product-specific automotive technical education. MassBay’s automotive programs have a 99% graduate placement rate for full-time employment by the time of graduation.
