Augusta Technical College President Dr. Jermaine Whirl has identified the location selected for the school’s expanded automotive training programs.
At a June 22 event at Jim Hudson Lexus Augusta, Whirl accepted a check for the $1 million contribution the automotive group promised to help fund the new training center, slated for the Laney Walker neighborhood.
Whirl said the school is purchasing the former Johnson Motor Company at Walton Way near 11th Street.
“Those of you who don’t know that space, it’s about 65,000 square feet. And all of the programs that we will be offering will be in that space, and again, it’s timely. Our current facility is only about 10,000 square feet. So, we’re going to be able to really increase capacity, taking more students and increase the workforce,” he said
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Jim Hudson said he was excited to be a part of getting the new facility up and running. He said his business is based on three things: His employees, the customers and being part of the community.
“There’s nothing more important to me than what we’re doing today. And it’s not the money. It’s the fact that these young men and women here are mechanics. We need them worse than we need anybody else. And it’s very difficult for us to get good technicians, that have the passion, and been taught the right way,” he said.
Among the students attending the event were Martia Moore and Andrew Chavez. Both began the automotive training program in January.
Moore, originally from Las Vegas, Nev., said she has always had a passion for cars.
“I’m also just coming into the program itself with the wonderful instructors that we have. They’re very hands-on, and they like to take the time. So, it’s just in itself, the innovation, it shows you how people go, but cars also go with the people,” she said.
Chavez said he never anticipated attending a traditional, four-year college was a path he could take.
“When I saw fixing automobiles and becoming a technician as a path I could take, I knew I could go to college at that point. I’d be the first male to go to college or any sort of technical school. So, for me, that’s a big milestone. I have a true passion for this. I had an uncle who fixed cars growing up. I just kind of want to follow in those footsteps,” he said.
Hudson said he has long provided internships with his dealerships, and that will continue.
“Especially bring on a lot of these young people during summer holidays when they are out of school,” said Hudson. “We do have internships, and we do assist them and help them buy their tools, which is the biggest expense they’ll have. And we put them with our best technicians to train them.”
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The donation from Hudson is half of a $2 million donation. The other half will come from the Augusta National Golf Club.
In announcing its $1 million donation on April 6, Fred Ridley, chairman of the club and the Masters Tournament, said it will help fund the development of the new automotive service training center.
“The launch of this training program will prepare a quality workforce for readily available jobs here in Augusta,” said Ridley in a news release. “This contribution reflects our commitment to promoting opportunities for residents and families in the Laney Walker community and across the City of Augusta.”
Currently, Augusta Tech has six certification programs and one diploma program in automotive training disciplines. With the new center, that will increase to 16 certification programs.
“We’re going to be bringing on at least four new programs all related to auto body by itself, and collision repair. We’re also going to be getting into heavy diesel. We have a small, light diesel program that’s out in Burke County, but we’re space limited. We just introduced electrical vehicle repair. But again, our space limitations, we can’t really get into that advanced technology,” Whirl said.
Whirl said, in addition to the technical training programs, converting the Johnson Motor Company property into their training facility will allow them to create a simulated dealership. That will create programs to train for so-called “front of house” positions like sales, finance and parts department managers.
Once it is operational, all automotive training programs will be moved from the Augusta Tech campus to the Walton Way training center. The goal is to have the center ready by the end of the year and begin to bring in students in early 2023.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a general assignment reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
