Andrada Polytechnic High School Transportations Technology Pathway
The world as we know it will always need transportation. Andrada students enrolled in the transportation technology program learn the skills necessary for certifications to either move from there into college programs or right out into the workforce earning competitive wages.
Run by teacher Jim Nelson, the program is far more than simply oil changes and tire rotations. Everything is hands on and conceptual. They get the grease, but they also learn the software of Transportation Technologies. The program focuses on employability and certifications. Andrada has the ONLY program in Arizona that offers all ten ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certifications; most schools offer one. APHS students have earned a total of 446 ASE certifications. Furthermore, we have watched 57 of our students complete successful internships. And, all 57 of them were offered full time positions. These jobs are not starter jobs; they are careers in the transportation industry!
The program now offers three dual enrollment credits through Pima Community College. Further, Ford ACE Certification and Mopar Certification is available. And, Andrada is the only high school in the country to offer Toyota T10 Certification, a certification previously reserved only for the college level. Andrada’s Transportation Technologies students are well prepared for successful lives with unique skills and certifications that set them apart from their peers entering the transportation industry.
Iasyia Govan
Iasyia Govan is a current Andrada senior in the Transportation Technologies CTE program. Her love for cars began when she was 11 or 12 years old when her step dad showed her how to change the oil. She wanted to be able to do that! And, knowing that not many women know how to work on their own cars inspired her. Iasyia is a hands-on girl, and she loves cars. Transportation Technologies at Andrada was a perfect match.
Iasyia is excited to graduate this spring with ASE Certifications… all ten of them. She dreams of becoming a mechanic and going right into the workforce earning a high wage with her skills. She knows that she has an edge up on her competition with her certifications that most people have to earn in a college program.
And of Mr. Nelson, she says, “He’s pushed me and helped me to actually realize that I am capable of doing hard things… things that typically only guys do. He made me stronger and more independent, and he prepared me for real world work in the industry.” Fixing a window regulator in a car door challenged her far more than she’d have imagined! “You might get dirty and bust your knuckles a little, but it is so much fun! I love what I’m doing, and I’ll love my life in this career.” Best of luck to you, Iasyia!
Dianna Escobar
Dianna Escobar is a 2020 Andrada Polytechnic High School graduate. She studied Transportation Technologies and graduated with all of her certifications as well. She chose the pathway because she has a lifelong dream of building her own vehicle someday.
Dianna now enjoys a great job at Desert Toyota. She works in Shop 2 Dispatch, a much higher paying position than entry level. She looks forward to moving her way up to Shop 1 where she will get to work on engine rebuilds and hybrid concerns and recalls.
She says that the skills she learned with Mr. Nelson went far beyond cars. She had to learn patience in there… a skill she has to use almost every hour on the job! She also learned HOW she learned. She discovered that if she really wanted to learn information, she had to take the time to seriously study. She compared her studying to muscle memory, and she credits those skills with helping her in all of her other classes.
Her advice to students still in high school is simple. “If you put your mind to it, and really really want something in life, you have to work hard at it… no matter what it is… doctor or auto tech… they all need to work hard to succeed.” Way to represent, Dianna! We are so proud of you.
