Bring back auto mechanics class

Straightpipes

Straightpipes

Well-known member
I see so many young folks (and some old) that have no clue about anything mechanical. We really need vocational training in schools. By the time I give up my old Fords there won't be anybody to repair them.
Yuppee guy down the road bought a 1935 V8 just to have an old car. Stopped by here and wanted help. He couldn't find the battery!!
 
It'll never happen. Supply and demand. Everything manufactured in the last 20 years is basically unserviceable by anyone except a dealer. Specialized tools, diagnostic equipment, and factory trained mechanics (oops, sorry "technicians") make repair of current vehicles un-profitable for general service garages. There are not enough old cars around to make it practical any more. We're on our own.
 
Some of my fondest High School memories are of Auto mechanics class. Our teacher had a 67 Shelby, and a 62 Thunderbird. Ford guy as his daily driver was a 72 Ford pick up.
I worked on my 66 Chevelle convertible there, but my 1st car was a 55 Ford.

Do they not teach these classes anymore?
 
Very few, if any, high schools teach traditional "shop classes" or "industrial arts' classes. It's too expensive and not appealing to kids who have grown up on computers and parents who insist their kids are college material. Plus, having great "shop classes" doesn't bring any accolades to the high school principal as the emphasis is on academics. Teacher colleges don't even train teachers in these traditional classes of old. Only public area vocational schools that have courses sponsored by GM, Ford and other car manufacturers prepare techs for today's modern cars. Yes, there are other private institutions but, they are very expensive. Auto mechanics classes will never be brought back in the foreseeable future unless a miracle occurs.
 
I remember my dad telling me of his chemistry classes in high school, now a days you’d be thrown in jail for some of the experiments they did back then.
 
Brings back happy memories of my high school metal/wood shop and drafting classes with dedicated teachers. I grew more appreciative over time.
 
seems like a world wide problem been swinging spanners and swapping gears for 45+ years and you see the young ones turn up with a shiny big tool box and thats where it ends take the lap top of them and their lost I call them spare parts installers and ask them if they can do more than just polish them shiny things
 
All skills that require working with your hands are lost today. Young men and ladies know nothing about plumbing, electrical, carpenter, block laying, mechanics, welding, farming, timbering and a host of other skills we took for granted growing up. Its time for all to push industrial arts to be taught in our schools.
 
Our local High School has auto mechanics including one class that is all girls taking auto mechanics. There are welding courses and the students do a significant amount of the fabricating for various local projects. There is a construction trades program. Each year, among other projects, the students build a small home on the school grounds which is auctioned off and moved at the end of the school term. They have a pre-engineering program that has a lot of hands on as well as a cosmetology program that qualifies the students to take their state license exam. There are other courses at the Career Center as well, which is part of the High School.
 
OldandTired, that's great. We used to have a program when I was in high school, the student would leave school early and go to a local business and work for the afternoon. I believe part of his grade was by the business.
 
What do you mean we have no vocational training courses and don't spend lots of money on career development?

We have football!
 
Our high school had a great auto shop and we could bring our cars in to work on them. Did everything from brakes to engine rebuilds. At the end of the coarse we were all Doctor Of Motors given out by the Perfect Circle Piston co. Went back a few years ago to do some contract work and the auto shop, wood shop, and metal shop were gone replaced by computer labs and such. I had to shed a tear as these coarses made high school tolerable.
 
And the school administrators wonder why the "drop out" rate is high. I wonder if those administrators wonder who is going to fix their car so they can get to work, or who is going to repair their home heater and air conditioner when it stops working. Businesses need to partner with the schools and begin apprenticeship programs.It would keep kids in school and give them a career. The big plus is no student loan debt.
 
Many high schools do partner with businesses to train needed skilled workers. At the high school level students can take dual enrollment tech classes during the school day at local vocational trade schools. They may take regular high school classes for 4 hours of the day and vocational trade school classes for 3 hours a day at a nearby vocational school. They end up graduating with a high school diploma plus a vocational certificate. Thus, the high school doesn't have to fund separate and very expensive vocational programs that also require a certified instructor.
 
19Fordy said:
Very few, if any, high schools teach traditional "shop classes" or "industrial arts' classes. It's too expensive and not appealing to kids who have grown up on computers and parents who insist their kids are college material. Plus, having great "shop classes" doesn't bring any accolades to the high school principal as the emphasis is on academics. Teacher colleges don't even train teachers in these traditional classes of old. Only public area vocational schools that have courses sponsored by GM, Ford and other car manufacturers prepare techs for today's modern cars. Yes, there are other private institutions but, they are very expensive. Auto mechanics classes will never be brought back in the foreseeable future unless a miracle occurs.
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Well, I would not totally throw out computer tech careers for those mechanically minded men or women.

I know a young man who liked cars, but also knew computers inside out.
Fast forward to today, he is the local Mercedes Benz lead electronics tech. All he does is computer diagnostics.

He makes over $100K a year and rarely turns a wrench.

I know computers and AI get a bad rap around here, but they are here to stay and are not going way. Cars today have more computer ECM's in them than ever. Some of this is a good thing. My daily driver Toyota Corolla has some impressive safety features that would not have been possible 10 years ago if it wasn't for advances in technology.
 
Great book recommendation by Tim. "Shop Class as Sole Craft" is right on Target. My cousin, who is retired said his son who is into some form of high tech occupation, says that shop class was his favorite, and he uses what the learned all the time, and can fix anything because of it.
 
When I ordered the radiator for my '39 p/u from Brassworks I was told they were 7-8 weeks out for filling orders. Lee told me if I had a problem with that I should talk to my local school board and get them to start offering shop classes again. He said it was next to impossible to find qualified help. On the other hand I bough some flathead stuff from the auto shop teacher at Santa Monica High School a while ago. When I went to the shop building to pick everything up I was amazed to only see 1 or 2 ricers. Everything else in the shop was older stuff that they were actually doing major repairs on or fabrication/modifications. Maybe there is some hope.
 
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