Community college students basically fix cars for free

The workers’ uniforms are smudged with stains earnedunderneathacar, wrenchin hand.

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Their repair garage teems with an array of inoperable vehicles andtwisted metal. One car's wheels have been removed; another sports a mangled fender. Here, the labouris free—and the mechanics are earning college credits. Los Angeles Trade-Technical College offers the largest community college auto repair program in the region, turning out graduates ready to work at dealership service centers,independentshopsandthefleetdepartments of municipalities, among other areas.The college has offered the training for decades, andits Automotive and Related Technology programme has evolved with industry changes — including the advent of fuel injection, airbags and the rise of electric vehicles. Other local community colleges have auto programmes, including Santa Monica College and El Camino College. But with more than |,O0O students, Trade-Tech's programme — which offers certificates andassociate of science degrees —stands out for its size, said Jess Guerra, director of the college's Transportation Workforce Institute, which includes the automotive programme. “One thing that makes us unique is the scale —we are the biggest in Los Angeles by a long shot,” he said, “Most community colleges may have two faculty teaching automotive, some have one, some have no full-time faculty. Just in automotive, | have seven.”