A student from the Seven Summits Centre for Learning has discovered that he’d like to be a heavy duty mechanic after completing his work experience at a local auto body shop.
Ben Kroeker completed 100 hours of work experience at Rossland Collision this year. He was initially interested in an automotive career.
“That seemed like a good entryway into the field, just to see what it’s like and what possible branches I could go [to] from it,” he said.
During his work experience, Kroeker said he sanded bumpers, took apart damaged bumpers and lights, and replaced broken lights. He also took out damaged windshields and door panels.
“Anything that just requires a screwdriver pretty much and that needs to be replaced,” he explained.
Kroeker said it was a good experience.
“It really opened your eyes up to a whole new career … and it’s really hard to get a job like that in high school because it’s like during school hours, during the day, so it was an awesome experience,” he said.
But having completed his time at Rossland Collision, Kroeker has decided he’d like to pursue something a little different.
“I decided to go a little bit further and do a heavy duty mechanic, but that was a really good experience and it’s a hobby that would be cool to do in the future,” he said.
Kroeker hopes to attend Grande Prairie Regional College’s ThinkBig (Heavy Equipment) Service Technician program, which also includes a practicum.
Bryan Deadmarsh, the manager of Rossland Collision, set up the work experience with Seven Summits teacher Andrea Pierce, who expressed gratitude to Deadmarsh and his team for offering Kroeker an “exceptional learning opportunity.”
“Bryan and his staff not only took Ben under their wing but truly acted as mentors of the field,” she said.
This year Pierce said two students, including Kroeker, participated in Seven Summits’ work experience program.
“We’re always trying to encourage new students,” said Pierce. “Like Ben said, even though he realized that this is not his career choice, that in itself is such a positive because a lot of students don’t have the opportunity to go and see what the field is like, and then go into a program and realize when they’re in the career that this is maybe not the best fit.”
The program is open to Seven Summits’ students in grades 10 to 12 and it requires them to complete 100 hours.
Parents or students who are interested should contact Pierce.