The automotive repair class prepares the students to become certified mechanics and learn the ins and outs of combustion, electric, and hybrid vehicles.

The program offers the next generation of mechanics what they need to know about engine performance, brakes, electrical systems, suspension, steering, alignment, climate control, and more. Students are also taught best practices for safety while they work on vehicles.

Instructor Dustin Ruehle, a graduate of the program who worked in the auto repair sector for years before taking the job at ACC, said many students have a general understanding of vehicles, how they operate, and how to make general repairs. He said others have little understanding of how a vehicle works and learn from the ground up.

Ruehle said many students have good-paying jobs lined up, even before they complete the course because of a shortage of mechanics in the nation.

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Owen Kocan reviews diagnostic information on a laptop computer while working on a car at the Alpena Community College on Tuesday.

“Mechanics are in very high demand, not just in town, but everywhere,” he said. “With the baby boomer generation retiring, there are a lot of gaps to fill. Basically, the shops and dealerships are fighting over technicians right now and they are fighting with money, which is beneficial to the kids.”

The automotive program is adapting to a changing landscape of the auto industry, Ruehle said. He said the days of many people being able to make minor repairs themselves are gone because of how modern vehicles are built. Ruehle said because fewer people have the knowledge or tools to diagnose a problem and fix it, it increases the demand for technicians.

Ruehle said recently, a class was added where the kids will learn how to repair electric vehicles, which gives them a leg up when applying for jobs.

Ruehle said the students have the needed technology to find out what an issue with a vehicle is and resources on how to fix it. From laptops to hundreds of automobile manuals dating back to the 1930s, the students are able to research even the most uncommon automobile problems.

Ruehle said he has also noticed an increase in the amount of women who are taking the program’s classes. He said on several occasions, a female student registered for the program to simply learn more about the basics of cars. Then, after finishing their first year, continued forward with their education in auto repair and now work making a nice wage.

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Dakota Kowalewsky, left, and Violet Ouellette work on an engine while in class at the Alpena Community College on Tuesday.

“We have three (women) enrolled right now of the eight students we have in this class,” Ruehle said. “So, more women are definitely becoming involved or considering it.”

The college utilizes customers’ cars from people who live in the Alpena area that need repairs to teach the students, Ruehle said. He said a lot of other programs use cars that are new and the same model to teach. By using cars from the community that are often weathered and have high mileage on them, the kids are exposed to real-life circumstances.

“They get to work on vehicles of all makes and models, which is way better than working on the same type of car each time,” he said. “Some schools use new cars where all the bolts come out early and all the parts fit perfectly. Here, the students have to remove bolts that are stubborn to remove and overcome challenges that well-used vehicles have.”

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Gavin Melonas, left, and Ervin Goslan examine an engine that was removed from a car and being inspected by the auto students.

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Dustin Ruehle, the instructor for the automotive repair program at the Alpena Community College, shows off some wrenches that are designed to work on electric vehicles. The tools help to avoid shocks to technicians who are working on EV cars.

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Dustin Ruehle, the instructor for the automotive repair program at the Alpena Community College, shows one of the many old manuals used in the program.

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Students have access to a large tool room where everything they need to repair a car is neatly in place.