Automotive education - Lateral-g Forums

Race Wilson · #1 03-27-2007, 09:50 PM

Has anyone had experience with a technical college or vocational school? I am looking to take some classes at the local tech university and wanted to know if they would be worth the time.

GM Muscle · #2 03-27-2007, 10:47 PM

i went to wyotech about 4 years ago..i learned alot and i would say it was worth the time and the money..

Race Wilson · #3 03-28-2007, 08:35 AM

Wow! Wyotech seems like a dream come true. I know no place is perfect, but they appear to have a lot of good things going on. Do you use the skills you learned there pretty regularly?

Race Wilson · #4 03-29-2007, 02:33 PM

So what classes are to taking in the first semester?

Diognes56 · #5 03-29-2007, 03:45 PM

Wyotech is great from what I have heard, if you can afford it. I would love to go to Wyotech, but it is just not possible for me. I am taking autobody at Carl Sandburg College, have had some fun projects and learned quite a bit. They are introducing a customization certificate sometime (probably next semester from what I understand) so we have started doing some more fun stuff recently. Just need more time to finish them

.

My point being, don't rule out local colleges, they teach the same basic skills. Skills that pretty much everything else builds off of. They just usually don't get as specialized, especially in the fabrication and modification aspects of things.

David

We started taking about 10" out of this Astro van. It is further along than this but it is far from finished, since other projects have taken priority. Probably won't get finished unfortunately, it was a "trial run" for the upcoming custom class so they could get ideas on how to teach it.

We started a full restoration on this '78 Dodge Power Wagon. Very rusty, and not many restoration parts that we can find. Came in pretty much a basket case. Going to be for parades, in honor of a group of fallen soldiers. It was passed down to one of the soldiers from his father, he started working on it before he was shipped over to Iraq.

americansupercarinc · #6 03-30-2007, 06:50 AM

Being an employer, I have hired several Wyotech grads the skills of these people have been great,However the problem is after all that schooling most of these guys have a large student loan to pay back. and at entry level pay most cant afford to continue working in this field.Its a shame because I have run into some really nice people with great potential,

Phil

Race Wilson · #7 03-30-2007, 09:03 AM

Thats good to know. I have been wrestling with the scheduling, weather to try to take a full semester (and debt) or ease in to one or two classes at a time. The advantage with the slower pace is the option of keeping my current job. I'm in sales and as long as I make my numbers, my boss doesn't care what hours I keep.

Thanks for your input!!!!

GM Muscle · #8 03-30-2007, 07:24 PM

heres my opinion.. if i hadnt gone to school then there is no way i would be where i am.. im great at my job and it really shows.. not many 23's have a big reputation for painting and i do.. as far as wyotech goes i went when they only had one school and the teachers were the best of the best.. now with many schools theyve had to distribute the teachers.. im sure the info is the same though.. and man the student loan sucks.. i got mine about half paid off..it was like 30k total.. i use my wyotech skills everday.. when i was director of the autobody program at the local college i instated the same stuff that i learned at wyotech.. and the students were learning fast.. unfortunatley the "bosses" up there dont under stand how it works and thought they should tell me how to do it..so i quit.. but i make plenty of money just doing the work instead of teaching.. the main point is that wyotech is worth the money in my opinion.. i took collision/refinshing with chassis fab/ hp engines and management.. i earned an associates of applied science in one year too..