If you simply want to learn how to tinker with your 1965 Mustang on weekends, Jerry Viola's auto tech program isn't for you.

But if you truly want a career in auto repair, there aren't many better places to land than in Viola's classes.

"I'm not looking for everybody," said Viola, director of Arapahoe Community College's auto technician program. "I'm looking for a serious student who wants this as a career. I offer a great opportunity."

Each of the 60 students in Viola's program is required to demonstrate dedication every day.

No hobbyists need apply. First, students must pass a drug test, a criminal background check and have a clean driving record. Students can't look sloppy or be late, and must perform well in physics, computer and communication classes.

During the course, Viola's students make $10 an hour apprenticing at local dealerships and independent shops, earning more than the $9,000 cost of the two-year program.

Viola, 56, has been repairing automobiles since high school. He moved to Colorado in 1985 from Buffalo, N.Y., and has worked at numerous local repair shops.

A father of three and an avid motorcyclist, he earned a degree at ACC and most recently operated his own shop, Master Tech Automotive, in Wheat Ridge, where he makes his home.

Viola designed his program to fit the needs of auto repair shops now and in the future.

That's why he's recruiting women - 10 of his 60 students are female - and pushing more students to obtain an associate's degree rather than training certificates. He predicts the industry will hire more female technicians and workers with college degrees to keep up with technological advances.

The school was just named one of the top 21 auto tech programs in the country by Tomorrow's Technician magazine and will compete for the top spot in a contest later this year. Smoky Hill High School in Aurora was the only other school named to the list from Colorado and surrounding states.

Julie Wall said she feels lucky to be part of the program.

The 32-year-old from Denver was laid off in 2007 from her job as a buyer of cable-TV equipment. She decided to go back to school to learn skills for a stable job and decided to tap into her childhood interest in fixing cars.

After enrolling at ACC, Wall was chosen over several other students for a paid apprenticeship at Freeway Ford in southeast Denver.

Michael Werner, service director at the dealership, said he chose Wall because of her commitment and character, and the reputation of the school.

He said the industry is going through a "dynamic shift."

"We're moving away from the backyard mechanics . . . to needing employees who are at the top of their game - technically versed, mechanically adept and well rounded."

Service managers at local dealerships said demand for auto technicians will remain steady and even rise during the recession and after the economy picks up.

Bob Sidebottom taught at ACC in the 1970s and now runs the state Automotive Youth Educational System, which connects high school students with auto tech programs across the state. He said Viola's school is "head and shoulders" above the others.

"It's geared for the person that is serious about wanting automotive as a career choice. If they want to get the best education they can, that's where it's going to happen," Sidebottom said.

Viola's program is the official training center in the region for Chrysler and General Motors, and Nissan also trains its technicians on the campus.

Manufacturers have donated dozens of new vehicles to be used in training.

Viola said his program can grow by about 40 students.

Jana Wilson, 19, of Denver, decided in high school that she wanted to become an auto technician. She had grown up helping her dad, a professional mechanic, work on cars in their garage.

Wilson, the first in her family to go to college, enrolled at ACC on the advice of her father. She said she hopes to eventually open a shop with dad.

kimm@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2361

Back to Top