By Adriana Reza, ROC Small Business Entrepreneurship

Bakersfield, CA - The Auto Body & Fender Repair program is the definition of hands-on job training. Walking into the shop you notice right away how everyone is scattered and working on a project. Two of the projects Mr. Cruz, the program’s instructor, and I talked about were the “hood” project and painting cars.

Mr Cruz likes teaching this class because he can instruct students in great techniques that can be used in their future. He also said that technicians make as much as many college graduates. When I asked him why he enjoys teaching specifically at ROC he responded with “we are a big family”.

I interviewed two students, Adelene Robles and Cody Keller. Adelene, a senior at Mira Monte High School, says that this program is different and it shows you that girls can do shop work too. After graduation she hopes to go to the Marines and eventually work at a body shop.

Cody Keller is a senior at Stockdale High School. He said Auto Body taught him a lot and he was also able to work on his own truck. Cody hopes to own his own shop after graduation. I asked both students what it is that makes Auto Body and Fender Repair special to them and they answered with the same thing ... “Mr. Cruz”.