Auto dept. continues to grow

 ACC's automotive program has experienced heavy growth since it first began on the Rio Grande campus. 

Fifteen years ago it was relocated to the Riverside campus for extra space, and has since expanded to several other campuses and many High Schools in the Austin area including Eastside Memorial High School at the Johnston Campus and Crockett High School. Crockett High recently opened it's own auto repair and repaint department. While currently under ACC, it will soon be it's own department.

"It's not growing, it's exploding," said administrative assistant Wanda Pierce. When classes recently opened at ACC's San Marcos center, all nine classes were filled within two weeks. 

Senior Lab Assistant Felix Ybarra, Sr. represents ACC programs ranging from welding to jewelry to automotive technology at career fairs and car shows all around town. 

"Technology is big here at ACC," remarks Ybarra. 

Ybarra is frequently invited to car shows to represent ACC. The car shows started small. Ybarra would team up with car clubs and bring eight cars. They would have a good turnout, and next time they would have 10 cars and so on. 

"Car shows bring people in. They see ACC and ask questions," Ybarra comments. The next big car show is in Buda on Saturday, Oct. 3, and ACC will have approximately 75 cars there.

Ybarra advises taking a course just to learn about a vehicle. "Students will sign up for a course, find they like it and take another, before they know it they have a certificate." According to Ybarra, "It's great to know whether one actually needs what mechanics say. That's how the industry is, they sell you everything they can."

Many auto mechanics take courses just to learn about the new hybrid cars. "It's a whole different world," said Pierce. 

The auto industry is constantly changing. Ybarra compares cars to computers, "Every three months there's something new…You could have a mechanic for 30, 40 years and you think, ‘Oh, he knows everything.' He doesn't." 

Pierce and Ybarra agree that engines are becoming computerized. A new car may have 86 computers in it. In 1995 a car may have had 20 sensors, now they have as many as 200. That is one of the reasons why seasoned mechanics still take classes.