Oxnard College’s Automotive Technology program is driving the local economy.
“This is a great industry; it’s why I got into it,” said adjunct automotive instructor/instructional lab technician Jeff Hiben. “There are a lot of available jobs and you can always find work in many different areas.”
Indeed, with more than 500 automotive repair facilities in the Ventura/Oxnard area, the South Central Coast Center of Excellence (COE) estimates that approximately 400 skilled Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics are needed annually to meet regional demand. Those filling these positions earn a median salary of $48,805 in region, according to the COE.
“Cars are not going anywhere,” said Anthony Diaz-Brown, an Oxnard College instructional lab technician. “They’re on the road. They need to be repaired. We’re always going to need technicians. It’s a job that’s not going anywhere anytime soon.”
Oxnard College is equipped to meet the demand. It recently partnered with Vista Ford on an Automotive Career Exploration (ACE) program in which students have access to an online portal that allows them to take courses on various topics, including New Model Training, Electrical Systems Engineering, History of Ford Motor Company, and Steering & Suspension. These courses are the same curriculum that certified Ford/Lincoln technicians receive.
Oxnard College also works with Ventura County fleet services in offering internships to up to a half dozen students annually in maintaining everything from sedans to pickups to skip loaders. The Oxnard College Automotive Body & Fender Repair Program offers similar paid internships.
In addition, the auto tech program is the only one of its kind in Ventura County with Smog Check Referee. It’s also home to the Oxnard College Student Technician Training Program, a comprehensive, 240-hour curriculum employing hands-on exercises designed to provide students with the skills to become smog check professionals.
“All the instructors here are amazing,” said student Warren Wheelock. “They’re really knowledgeable about their craft, they’re very eager to make sure that we learn and understand all the material and get hands-on practice.”
The automotive program is fully certified by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation. In addition to Vista Ford, partnerships include Identifix, AVI OnDemand Automotive Training, and the International Automotive Technicians Network (IATN).
Hiben is an Oxnard College alumnus who enrolled in the auto tech program when he was looking for a second career. He was later hired as an instructor and has been teaching at the college for more than 20 years.
“I talk to students at career days. After meeting with representatives from other fields, including firefighters, police officers, journalists, and nurses, I ask them, ‘how did they get to their jobs?’ They all got here by using transportation. This is a career that is literally driving the economy.”
