Auto academy places Palm Seashore County college students on quick monitor to careers

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Time is working out for Palm Seashore County college students to use to Alternative Applications for subsequent faculty yr.

Jan. 27 is the deadline to select from the greater than 300 Alternative and Profession and technical teaching programs all through the district. These applications cowl all the things from culinary, cybersecurity, firefighting, and even automotive.

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The Al Packer Automotive Academy at Seminole Ridge Neighborhood Excessive Faculty is giving college students the instruments they should be profitable going into the workforce, whereas additionally saving them 1000’s of {dollars} on tuition.

Robert Bresnahan is a fast lane technician at Al Packer Ford in Royal Palm Seashore.

“We prime off all of the fluids, rotate the tires, oil change, and examine all of the air pressures, too,” Bresnahan stated.

The current grad from the automotive academy at Seminole Ridge likes getting his palms soiled.

“I all the time cherished taking stuff aside, tinkering with it, you identify it,” Bresnahan stated. “Each time I heard they had been searching for individuals to coach over right here, I used to be all in.”

A brand new partnership between Seminole Ridge and Al Packer Ford now places college students like Bresnahan within the quick lane towards future careers.

“It is a great alternative for my college students to go from the classroom to, as you may see, the storage bay with an iconic enterprise in Palm Seashore County,” principal Bob Hatcher stated.

The soccer stadium at Seminole Ridge now bears the Al Packer identify. The corporate is investing in these automotive college students, giving them steerage, help, and, finally, a spot to work.

“I believe the auto program was superb earlier than, however this simply took it to a completely completely different stage,” Bresnahan stated.

Within the store at Seminole Ridge Excessive Faculty, senior Antonio Caputo is gearing as much as begin his job within the subsequent few weeks.

“Not many youngsters would be capable of have that chance and in a position to begin a profession out of highschool with such firm,” Caputo stated.

“Having applications like this to present them a technical background helps them get a leg up,” Seminole Ridge instructor Michael Critchlow stated.

College students can graduate with as much as 9 trade certifications, saving them 1000’s of {dollars} in commerce faculty tuition and getting them prepared for entry stage jobs.
It is a driving issue for Hatcher.

“You can also make an excellent residing and be financially profitable with out having a school diploma, however with having work ethic, focus, and a spotlight to element,” Hatcher stated. “The sky is the restrict in case you are prepared to work onerous.”

“I believe it might positively be powerful to land a job like this when you didn’t have earlier expertise or course information on these items,” Bresnahan stated.

So the following time you get your automotive fastened, realize it may very well be a current grad who labored underneath the hood.

“A number of the smiles on the purchasers’ faces when they’re like, ‘Oh, I have been coping with that for nonetheless lengthy and also you fastened it,’ feels nice,” Bresnahan stated.

Some Alternative and Profession Applications within the Faculty District of Palm Seashore County are in-house — just like the automotive academy at Seminole Ridge — that means they’re for college kids who’re zoned for that specific faculty.

You’ll be able to apply for different applications, even in case you are not zoned to go to that faculty.

For extra info and particulars on the method and lottery system, click on right here.