Davenport Community School District students are learning how to keep cars running. CTE students who take the Automotive Technology pathway will get to work in the school lab servicing brake systems, doing oil changes, fixing steering and suspension issues, performing engine repair and more.
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“You’re going to come out of here with a lot of hands-on experience,” says Mr. Graap, the Automotive Technology instructor at Davenport West. “Now there is some bookwork involved because you have to build your brain before you can go out and utilize what you’ve learned. However, I like to keep the students active and busy because a lot of the kids we have here are more of the “hands-on” type learners.
Students work on staff and student cars to experience an auto shop atmosphere.
“My favorite part about the program is getting to work on the cars and getting to talk to the people that you work with. Because if you don’t have a good bond with the people that you work with, there’s not going to be anyone to help you when need it,” says Ben, a DCSD junior who plans to continue to his automotive education upon graduation.
DCSD’s CTE programs help students make the most of their high school experience creating a place where students can discover what they are passionate about.
“Even if you don’t want to work in the industry, you still have knowledge to work on your own cars and your family’s cars, saving you money,” says Ben. “And it helps you learn how to use different tools and equipment.”
“Everybody is going to drive a car and you need to know to fix that car,” says Mr. Graap. “So, one of the large focuses we have is just because you take this class, it doesn’t mean you are going to become an auto tech. But what it does mean is you are going to be able do a lot of maintenance on your vehicle yourself without paying someone.”
Get College and Career Ready with CTE
The Automotive Technology CTE program offers students real-world experience and insights into the automotive industry. Students in the program can get a leg up when it comes to preparing for college or their careers, such as:
- College Credits (up to 13 credits)
- Competitive Internships
- Work-Based Learning
- Transferable Skills
- Soft Skills
- Certifications
The 2021-2022 academic year is the first to provide Davenport students with the opportunity to obtain the ASE certification. The Automotive Service Excellence – Students Brakes Test exists to differentiate a technician’s level of expertise. It provides students with tangible proof of their technical knowledge and offers a leg up in the hiring process, an automatic pay increase when they enter the workforce and validation of their growing excellence. This year 7 DCSD students out of 11 have passed the test so far.
Start Your Pathway to Automotive Technology
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Each program has a recommended sequence of courses to take over 4 years.
Students can request the courses when they plan their schedules or join a CTE Program and have these automatically loaded into their Campus Planner. Learn more by visiting the How Do I Sign Up? page!
Check out the Davenport Schools Course Guide for a full description of each course in the Automotive Technology pathway.
Growing Excellence for Future Students
With the automotive and diesel industry growing so rapidly, the Automotive Technology CTE program plans to develop a paid apprenticeship where seniors who have completed the prerequisites would come back as shop assistants with the goal of having them work at the school in the morning and at a dealership in the afternoon. Students would also get the opportunity for a sign-on day where they would connect with employers and have the chance to be hired upon the completion of the program.
Read More
Growing Excellence: DCSD’s Computer Science CTE Programs
Davenport’s Early Childhood Education CTE Program
The Benefits of Becoming an Apprentice
