Jonathan Howie and Geno Garcia are Automotive Technician's at Volvo of Sarasota. Both are also graduates of the Suncoast Technical College Automotive Service Technology Program. Jonathan completed the program as a high school student, while Geno completed it as an adult student. Whether high school or adult student, the program requirements are the same. The only difference is the length of time for completion. High school students attend class for a half day, while adult students attend for a full day.

When asked about his experience at STC, Jonathan Howie said, "Going through the automotive program at STC really gave me an edge going right to work at the dealership before I graduated. Mr. Mullen's first year Electrical Class was fantastic in providing us the tools we needed in order to navigate through these modern cars. The STC shop was a great part of my experience. We got lots of hands-on practice with many different car makes and models."

Jonathan is thrilled to have a career he loves and is especially thankful to STC Instructor, Ryan Ott, who not only recommended Jonathan for the job but is also a former employee at Volvo of Sarasota and the current Teacher of the Year at STC. "Mr. Ott was a big part of my STC experience. He worked to build strong connections with the students to help them better understand whatever task was at hand. I am grateful for his help in getting me started here in my career at Volvo. It is truly a great place to work."

Geno Garcia shared the same opinion about his employment at Volvo as well as his experience at STC. "My time at STC really prepared me for the trade I am in today. The Automotive Program was really well run and included a tremendous amount of knowledge between all of the instructors. I am beyond grateful for their time and effort to help me learn this amazing trade. A special thanks to Mr. Ott, who went out of his way to help me find the job I am at today. It means a lot to me for the kindness and trust he gave by recommending me to his old place of employment at Volvo. This job is a huge blessing. Thank you Mr. Ott!"

Article By: Laurie Dillon

Suncoast Technical College

Automotive Service Technology Graduates Reflect on Their STC Experience