Subject taught: Automotive Technology
Mr. Hagopian started off at Fresno City College taking many different classes because "I wanted to be all kinds of things! Biologist, chemist, astronaut. then I took an Auto Tech class and fell in love with it. But boy, were my parents mad!" His father had his own commercial maintenance business and told Hagopian he would "give me the worst jobs so I'd get a professional 'desk' job someday. But after two years I was making more than he was, so he started bragging about his son who worked at the Cadillac dealership!" While at a training session for GM he was invited to become an instructor at Las Positas College. "I had always thought teaching would be neat,"so he took the job.
Does he have any recommendations for students who want to be Automotive Technicians? "Take your math and your English classes. Employers expect people who can read, write, and communicate" and solve the complex computer problems cars have today.
Subject taught: Automotive Technology
Mr. Johnson worked as an Automotive Technician straight out of high school. He completed a State Apprenticeship in Automotive Technology at College of Alameda. Still, he continued to take "a myriad of college classes" to further his career and open up new doors. Eventually he was eventually promoted to District Manager for Mac Tools. Mr. Johnson's next job was teaching for the GM Service Technical College which was located at that time in San Leandro. When GM was looking to consolidate their programs he brought the GM STC to Las Positas College.
"I'm really enthused about this program," he said. "There is a shortage of people in this industry. People with automotive training can work in a shop, or with computers, manufacturing, hydraulics or electronics. Employers in this field aren't necessarily looking for people with experience. We prepare our students for the workforce with some basic training - the rest is up to the student to show up to work, on time, willing to learn on the job."
Mr. Johnson also works as a marriage and family counselor as pastor of TJ Ministries and serves in the pulpit at Greater Maranatha Church of God in Christ in Stockton.
