In the south side of the annex building of the Arapahoe Community College’s Littleton campus lies a roaring conglomerate of motor oil and success. ACC’s very own, “Harvard of automotive technology” as Jerry Viola puts it. The program has been recognized by Tomorrows Technician magazine as “Tomorrow’s Technician School of the Yearby WIX Filters, Chicago Pneumatic and Waterloo Industries” as well as being applauded by the white house “for its innovative approach, commitment to general education.” A sizeable portion of that success can be attributed to Mr. Viola, head of the automotive program.

Jerry Viola has been the head of ACC’s auto tech program for 12 years. He, along with Christi Maes, who Mr. Viola dubs “the heart and soul of the program,” helped to transform this top-notch program into what it is today. Through assimilation with technology, and an innovative apprentice program, ACC’s school of automotive technology skyrockets into the future.

Navigating through the twisted roads of the automotive world is a daunting task. It takes more than the average program to pump out such incredible talent every single year, but ACC does, according to Mr. Viola. Like a finely tuned Miata, Christi Maes, and Jerry Viola, along with all the instructors and students, handle the program beautifully. Car puns aside the way they have the Auto Tech program set up really is fantastic. Possibly the biggest key to its success is a little thing called an apprenticeship.

Through partner dealerships like General Motors, Nissan, and more, students are hired as apprentices while attending class. The benefits to this are just about limitless. For starters, this means that the students get to apply everything they learn in the classroom in real life immediately. But it goes beyond the experience itself.

As Mr. Viola explained, “’When students are graduating from college and they are looking to get their first job the boss will often ask ‘what experience do you have?’ and the student has to say they don’t have any, they just graduated from college. ‘Well,’ the boss says, ‘I can’t hire you.’ Well, how are you supposed to get experience if no one is willing to hire you? We have taken that out of the equation.’” 

When students graduate from the automotive program at ACC they already have two years of experience in the real world on their resume. Mr. Viola pointed out that all the cars that are donated to the program are brand new. They don’t have the thousands of hard miles that regular cars have. No dirt, no grime, no poor ownership problems. With the apprenticeships the program offers, the students get to learn how to deal with these issues and more.

How would you like to pay next to nothing for a degree? The sheer thought of that has the power to send euphoric sensations down most college student’s spines. With the ACC’s Auto Tech program, that is a reality. Because half of the program is real work in the real world, students earn wages. It is like being paid to go to college with an almost guaranteed job when you get out.

Everybody in this program must have a love for cars. You will eat, sleep, dream cars for two years so passion is a necessity. If one has to have quite a bit of enthusiasm regarding cars, then one might ask where Mr. Viola’s passion comes from. Every car guru has a story, so why not hear his.

As a child, much like most who have a passion for wrenching on cars, Mr. Viola loved taking things apart and putting them back together. He grew up when gas stations and service centers were the same thing and his friend’s father owned one. During downtime, he would teach Mr. Viola and his friends how to turn wrenches. Because of this, he could work on his 68’ Camaro and his “buddy’s cars” often, and for free. As technology advanced, for instance, EFI (electronic fuel injection) and more, he learned to adapt. In order to get a better understanding of the ins and outs of the industry, he graduated from the program he runs.

With all this passion for cars there must be some sort of fix for horsepower, right? Correct! Like those in the journalism program have a journalism club, the automotive program has an affiliate as well. Similar, yet separate. They have reached the 110-mph club at Bandimere Speedway. I am referring to the Motorsports club. The highlight of this club is their 68’ Camaro. It must be noted this is same model car Mr. Viola talked about in his origin story and I could not help but notice his eyes light up as he talked about the car. While talking, both Mr. Viola and I relished in the idea of drag racing. However, this program is not for everybody. Mr. Viola explained, “For those who like the performance, we offer them a chance to experience what it is like to build something with 500-600 horsepower.” Now that is an opportunity.

The automotive program is full of life: the cars, the people, and the atmosphere. If any of you readers out there have a passion for cars and have never checked out this gem of a program, you really should. And for the price you pay, a grand total of close to zero dollars (thanks to the decision to employ all of the students while in school) it really is quite the opportunity if you enjoy wrenching on cars.

All images via Max Prodis.