Many parents and administrators may have a negative perception of automotive repair shops as dark and dirty places to work. Of course, many shops today are well-lit, air-conditioned technological marvels where you could eat off the floor. But what about the auto classroom at the school? If it is more than a few years old, it could be tired and run-down looking, perpetuating the stereotype that we are fighting.
Meanwhile, the culinary program has a giant kitchen with gleaming stainless-steel ovens and the advanced machining program has the latest CNC machine and 3-D printer. We need to ensure that our classrooms and labs are showplaces that are well suited to impress both students and parents.
Here are a few ideas for updating the classroom and lab:
• Sponsoring the cleaning and painting (including your colors and logo, if allowed) goes a long way to increasing the current students’ morale and the program’s ability to recruit students. If you can’t afford to cover the entire lab, see if you can team with other businesses represented on the Advisory Committee to each “sponsor a bay”, etc.
• Replace faded and torn banners, posters, and signs.
• Replace tired workbenches and refinish vehicle lifts and toolboxes.
• Paint or provide organizers for the tool crib.
• Refinishing the floor with a new, clean non-slip coating makes any lab look sharp.
When purchasing new equipment for your business, consider donating the used equipment to the school if it is needed, in good condition, and meets current industry service standards. A program “facelift” grabs the attention of administration at all levels and provides an opportunity to make other recommendations and investments the school needs to budget for to make the program even better.
Time commitment: 15 to 25 hours
Step 6 of 8