Skip to content
Check My Fluids
  • Home
  • Blog
    • Check My Paint and Body
      • Maintaining Your Paint with Washing and Waxing
      • Repair Dents in Plastic Bumpers and Body
    • Check My Fluids
      • 7 Vital Fluids Under The Hood
    • Pro Tips
      • Auto Parts and Understanding Price Differences
      • Buying And Selling A Car
      • Helpful Links To Sites We Love!
      • Lose The Heavy Junk On Your Key Chains
      • So Next Time I Need a Mechanic, I Should Call My Lawyer?
      • Tips from Instructors and Customers
      • Wanted: A Good Honest Mechanic
    • Winter driving
      • Winter is here–Is Your Car Ready For It?
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Login/Register
Menu Close
  • Home
  • Blog
    • Check My Paint and Body
      • Maintaining Your Paint with Washing and Waxing
      • Repair Dents in Plastic Bumpers and Body
    • Check My Fluids
      • 7 Vital Fluids Under The Hood
    • Pro Tips
      • Auto Parts and Understanding Price Differences
      • Buying And Selling A Car
      • Helpful Links To Sites We Love!
      • Lose The Heavy Junk On Your Key Chains
      • So Next Time I Need a Mechanic, I Should Call My Lawyer?
      • Tips from Instructors and Customers
      • Wanted: A Good Honest Mechanic
    • Winter driving
      • Winter is here–Is Your Car Ready For It?
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Login/Register

So Next Time I Need a Mechanic, I Should Call My Lawyer?

Register now to receive emails about new Posts

Registration
Registration

Image by Pexels on Pixabay

<< Back to Blog Page

So Next Time I Need a Mechanic, I Should Call My Lawyer?

Pro Tips
  • Russ
  • July 25, 2019
  • 4:45 pm
That’s what a mother cynically replied when I explained that schools and colleges had reduced funding for Trade and Industry training or “Vocational Training.”
Notice This is a reprint of an editorial of mine which was featured in the Seattle Times on June 29 2019.

I Need a Mechanic

I’ve taught students in auto-body and automotive repairs for over 25 years and know these programs work and my 2,000 high school and college students would agree. Many completed this training at Lake Washington High School, L.W. Institute of Tech., and Bellevue’s superb College of Continuing Ed.

I’m blown away by the effect these programs have on young people as it’s an old idea that has the power to transform lives. Still.

One evening after a graduation of my students, I talked with the father of one of them. Let’s call him Matt— and his father swore that Matt’s 2 years study with me had transformed his son from a mediocre, ‘C’ level student to a straight ‘A’ student who won department honors for his efforts. (4 of my students won Washington Award for Vocational Excellence ‘WAVE’ scholarships)

In all modesty, I told his Dad that all of Matt’s teachers helped him succeed but his father was adamant; it was the shop class that made the difference.

His father said his son learned new skills, and by applying himself, learned to repair cars by welding, metal straightening and painting. Matt learned to stay on a project until completion and by applying himself in his other classes—his grades improved to straight A’s .

Recently I placed an ad on Craigslist to sell an antique vehicle that many of my students knew and would recognize. In the ad, I gave a “shout out” to students past and present and was excited to hear from students that wrote, texted and called when the ad posted.

One former student texted a picture of his “office”, showing him surrounded by Coast Guard helicopters—ones that he services as an air-frame mechanic. Another student wrote that he owns two repair shops and still another said he’s a professional baseball player, playing for the Pirates. Another one—a favorite of mine, used his WAVE scholarship, to become a teacher in Eastern Washington. And still another student, John, said he’s a claim’s adjuster for a local insurance company.

Near the end of my tenure at Lk. Washington High, a handsome young Marine strode into my auto shop and recognizing him, I said, “Michael, you always hated me, what are you doing here?” He hated me because I pushed him to learn, grow and improve until he finally screamed at me to “stay out of his life”. Fast forward the years and now he said, “Things change Mr. P. and I’ve changed” as he warmly shook my hand.

Trade and Industry training WORKS and the proof is all around us; staffing our shops, teaching in our schools and even competing on the baseball field.

Russ Perman is a semi-retired automotive instructor; a writer and photographer who now writes a blog at CheckMyFluids.com

I Need a Mechanic

Share on facebook
Share on Facebook
Share on twitter
Share on Twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on LinkedIn
Share on whatsapp
Share on WhatsApp

Like this article?

Russ

Russ

Welcome to CheckMyFluids.Com. Our site and materials are written, produced and offered to you by an automotive instructor and other mechanics. We love cars and want to share our tremendous experience with you. We present original material from the popular courses that were taught and also offer to you the best videos, clips and information that we could find online and in print. If you know of something better, please let us know and we'll use it. Product, goods and services, with links that are mentioned, are there because they worked well or because we've found them to be an outstanding. Of course, we do NOT imply, state or guarantee they will work the same for you and your car.

More Posts from Check My Fluids

Buying And Selling A Car

Buying And Selling A Car

October 26, 2020 No Comments

SELLING YOUR CAR:

I’ve owned many, many cars over the years but over the last 2 years I sold 15-16 cars. Some were mine, but others belonged to friends who asked for help because they struggled with it. I’ve been so successful with it, I wondered what the difference is but I’ve found some clues, that by reading bad ads.

Read More »

Winter is here–Is Your Car Ready For It?

January 22, 2020 No Comments

With the first blast of snow and Winter weather, many of us are caught off-guard, but you can easily prep your car with some simple ideas. One of our readers suggested this post, so thank you Keith for the idea.

Read More »
I Need a Mechanic

So Next Time I Need a Mechanic, I Should Call My Lawyer?

July 25, 2019 No Comments

That’s what a mother cynically replied when I explained that schools and colleges had reduced funding for Trade and Industry training or “Vocational Training.”

Read More »
Maintaining You paint with washing and waxing

Maintaining Your Paint with Washing and Waxing

May 25, 2019 No Comments

Bet you didn’t know the thickness of paint on your car is only 9-14 mil’s thick and THAT is all that protects it against the myriad conditions of weather—rain, snow, road dirt, acid rain and sunshine. Since a human hair is about 3-4 mil’s thick, that is very little protection from all that threatens to destroy your car’s finish.

Read More »
Repair Dents in Plastic Bumpers and Body

Repair Dents in Plastic Bumpers and Body

May 25, 2019 No Comments

Remember, many bumpers on modern cars and trucks are not bumpers at all, but a soft, facia cover ONLY. They are made from high-impact plastic and urethane.

Read More »
wanted: a good honest mechanic

Wanted: A Good Honest Mechanic

May 12, 2019 No Comments

Last week I bought a 1-owner Lexus from the estate of an elderly woman. I was excited that it only had 50K miles on it and essentially was ‘like new’.

Read More »

Leave a Comment

7 Vital Fluids

Helpful Links

CarPart.com

Consumer Reports

King County Library System

YouTube

wikiHow

Car Talk

Angie’s List

Automotive Touch Up

Check My Fluids

Privacy Policy

© 2021 – Check My Fluids, a Complete Automotive Maintenance (CAM) subsidiary – All Rights Reserved.

How can we help?

Feel free to ask a question or suggest a topic for us to cover.


By continuing to use this website, you consent to the use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.

Accept