Driving is a metaphor for life: If you want something, just put the car in gear and go get it because you can go anywhere. And I’ve been interested in cars since I was a little kid.我爸爸和爷爷都是汽车技师。父亲是一名卡车司机和柴油卡车机械师。我会和他一起在店里工作，给他递工具或给他踩刹车。我是一个解决问题的人，我喜欢用我的双手工作。
At first, my dad was not in favor of me pursuing a career as an auto mechanic, but now, he’s proud of the progress that I’ve been making. There are also other women enrolled in CLC’s automotive technology program, and overall, we feel welcome.
All of the instructors at CLC have been very willing to help students and explain concepts, but Derrek Keesling stands out.He was my instructor for several automotive classes, including Introduction to Automotive Technology, Powertrain Controls, Auto Electrical I and II and Automatic Transmissions. He will stay after class or put in the extra effort to help you, and he explains everything well while showing you what he’s talking about.
CLC’s automotive lab, which has 12 repair bays with hydraulic lifts, has up-to-date tools and more than enough cars to work on.Students can work on many makes and models, from Saab, Hyundai and Toyota to Chevy, Ford and BMW. We’ve done wheel alignments, fixed electrical and powertrain issues, replaced shocks and have replaced or fixed automotive transmissions.
At CLC, my classes have usually had less than 21 students, and some automotive courses have had as few as eight, which gives teachers more time to explain things.When we’re in the shop, there’s a maximum of three or four students per wheel or whatever portion of the car we’re learning about. Teachers and students can bring their cars in to the shop for students to diagnose and fix. We use the computerized scanning tool to troubleshoot a problem, using the process of elimination. If we can’t pinpoint the root cause of the problem, the instructor steps in to guide us.
CLC’s stackable certificates, which you earn after completing a group of automotive courses, are awesome. They show your progress toward an associate degree, and I keep each certificate in a photo album.
Besides the excellent instructors, the tutors in the Writing Center have been great in helping me organize my thoughts.在CLC之外，我在一家汽车经销店做全职的服务写手和助理服务经理。当一个客户打电话或停下来报告汽车问题时，仔细听并把描述写清楚是非常重要的，这样技术人员才能准确地排除问题。在发票和其他文件上，正确的拼写和校对是非常重要的，因为当你在2000美元的维修账单上拼写错误时，会显得不专业。你需要给客户一种价值的感知。在完成汽车课程后，我在工作中更加自信，尤其是在向客户解释清楚事情的时候。
I’ve made a lot of friends at CLC.Here, everyone’s helpful, kind and warm. And it’s been great to meeting such a wide variety of students in my classes. One woman in an automotive class was retired airplane mechanic. The older students who have previous automotive education or work experience have helped guide us younger ones.
After high school, I completed my general education courses at another community college, then decided to check out CLC.I looked up online reviews, asked people who came here and then visited campus. I noticed that I could stop and ask anyone for directions because people were nice and helpful. At the other schools I visited, so many were “too busy” to help me. I got a good vibe from CLC. Outside, the campus has a beautiful landscape. While attending classes at Grayslake, I like to walk the nature trail past the ponds, past Willow Lake or simply sit in the grass.
My career goal to earn a bachelor’s degree in workforce education and teach auto mechanicsat either the high school or college level. I like seeing that sparkle in someone’s eye when he or she sees the information come together. Cars are pretty much science on wheels. Energy gets converted into other forms of energy. Besides mechanical science, there’s the electrical aspect, with volts, amps and diodes. At CLC, I’ve learned how to take apart an alternator and starter and put them back together. I’ve also learned how to troubleshoot problems by recognizing telltale symptoms.
Use the many resources available at CLC, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.No one will judge you. Don’t be embarrassed or too shy to pursue help or an answers. Everyone at CLC is happy to help you, and you’ll make good friends here.