Students in Flint Hills Technical College’s Automotive Technology Department recently received a new asset that will help them shift their education into a new gear.
Thursday afternoon, students, administration and leadership of the Automotive Tech department gathered with representatives of Nissan North America and Emporia’s John North Ford Nissan dealership for the donation of a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder to the department. Automotive Tech instructor Robert Sieberns says the benefits of this donation are two-fold.
Sieberns adds that the Nissan is a welcome addition to the department’s wide variety of vehicles that have been donated or brought in by students and residents, ranging in make, model, size, age and condition. He says having the opportunity to work on such a wide variety of vehicles is crucial for their students’ success once they head out into the real world.
First-year student Brett Oelke, who has spent much of his life around cars and in automotive shops, says he is grateful for the donation, adding it has already been put to good use.
Nissan USA Fixed Operations Manager in Kansas City John Dietz says he enjoys being on hand for these types of presentations, noting that contributions such as Thursday’s are critical, helping to fill a “Huge” need in the automotive industry.
FHTC’s Automotive Technology Department offers both a one-year technical certificate and a two-year associate of applied science degree courses, with classes offered both at the Emporia campus as well as in LaHarpe and Garnett. For more information visit FHTC.edu.
