The program is awesome. In the the shop I am exposed to top of the line and brand new tools. If I did not come here I probably would have never have heard of most of the tools. I love working with my hands and being surrounded by friends while making new ones. And doing what I love makes working and learning so much better. Having friends by your side to give you constructive criticism as well as encouragement really makes you feel like you belong.
Currently, we are working on wheel alignments, learning all the angles and how they affect or do not affect tire wear. The biggest and probably most fun project I have worked on this year was our first one. At the beginning of the year, we started by disassembling and reassembling a four cylinder motor. What made this the best project yet was that I got to learn something that I really wanted to learn about and to be able to use my hands. I also used problem solving skills instead of sitting in a crowded classroom reading out of a book, which made learning about the motor that much better.
The teacher, Mr. Bingham, is great. He has taught me so much since I started,by helping me when I need it and talking me through problems step by step. One thing he has taught me is when you run into a problem, stop and think about it first, and if you cannot figure it out, look it up on the computer. The computer is your best friend, it knows all there is to know. But if you still cannot figure it out, ask Mr. Bingham again. Mr. Bingham will use his magic powers and somehow manage to fix the problem only to leave you standing there wondering why you did not try or do it the way he did. After all he is a certified Master Mechanic.