ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½ Holds Dedication for Refreshed Classroom at Western Tech
On Sept. 17, ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½ held a dedication ceremony for its recently updated branded classroom at Western Technical College in El Paso, Texas. The classroom will continue to be used for hands-on training, introducing state-of-the-art technologies and creating an exciting learning environment where students can earn industry certifications and pursue career opportunities during and after their studies. It also reaffirms ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½βs partnership with Western Tech and allows them to continue building upon their already strong relationship.
βAbout seven years back, we really started getting involved with Western Tech and recruiting from them. It may have gone back even further than that,β said District Service Manager Monty Apodaca, who is currently based in Las Vegas but got his start with ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½ in 2011 as a technician in Albuquerque. βI started out as a tech, then was a Service Manager in El Paso for a couple of years and thatβs where I really started my relationship with Western Tech.β According to Apodaca, the three existing ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½ locations in El Paso maintain a relationship with the college. βWe have our El Paso location on the east side, El Paso on the west side, and Mesilla Valley. Those three locations often recruit from Western Tech.β
Initially, Western Tech had a career placement advisor who was active in the community. ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½ was invited to a career fair at the school, which provided opportunities to engage students directly and generate interest. Since then, ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½ has maintained a regular presence.
βThere were designated days where we would have one classroom and I would go into the room and talk a little bit about ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½, what we do. It was a chance for about 30 minutes to share information and talk about the company and try to get them excited about a career with us,β said Apodaca.
When speaking with students, Apodaca noted that many had little awareness of the range of opportunities within the company. βWhenever I spoke to a class or a smaller group, it was interesting that no one really knew what we do, who and how big we really are. Iβd mention our size on a commercial scale, and that our product lines go way beyond the yellow trucks they see on the road. That would bring out a lot of excitement. Iβd talk about how large our fleet is worldwide and how many locations we have across the U.S. Itβs impactful having those conversations and putting those facts out there. They donβt typically see how big and how great of a company ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½ really is.β
Sharing personal experiences often helped Apodaca connect with the students. βI came in as a technician. I worked at a dealership for ten years prior to coming into ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½. I loved turning wrenches, but I wanted to further my career which is one of the reasons I chose ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½. I started out as a tech and was able to work my way up through the ranks and move around. There have been a lot of cool opportunities and learnings. The more I talked about that with them, the more they could see a career path and a future for themselves.β
When asked about the importance of ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½βs connection to Western Tech and both short- and long-term goals of continuing to build the relationship, Apodaca mentioned that, in his experience, many students he came across were short-term focused. βThey werenβt always looking toward long-term goals most of the time,β Apodaca said. βWhen we started talking about how many paths ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½ offers, even in different departments, they realized that you could do so many things. Iβd always hit on that because it got them thinking about how this can be a career, not just a job out of college or their program.β
Many Western Tech graduates have turned into successful associates at ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½. The schoolβs efforts and its relationship with ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½ has been key components. βThey do a really great job training the students there,β said Apodaca. βThey have a top-notch facility, and the school prepares them for what theyβre going to see in the real-world. ΜΗΠΔ΄«Γ½ Mesilla Valley donates trucks to the college every year. Those are the trucks we work on that were in our fleet, so when those students come to us, they already have a good idea of what theyβre getting into.β
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