WILLISTON, N.D. (KUMV) – At the Williston Basin Career and Technical Education Center, students are excited to get out of the classroom and into the shop.

“I like getting my hands dirty,” said Guy Mettler, a senior at the Williston Basin CTE Center.

Hands-on learning is what the CTE Center’s automotive technology classes are all about.

“We run the program as more of a shop-type situation so they get the idea that, ‘Okay, I have this car to work on, I can’t just not do it,‘” said Williston Basin CTE Center Automotive Technology teacher Arne Lunzman.

Students work on a variety of different vehicles. Hudson Krieger, a senior, refurbished something familiar to him.

“This is my dad’s ‘93 Toyota pickup. We bought a parts truck to work on my truck and his. He just wanted the motor out of it. Since I didn’t really have a project this year, we brought the parts truck over, pulled this motor out of it and rebuilt this one, and we are gonna throw it in here in about a week,” said Krieger.

Projects like this help students get first-hand experience of what a career in the automotive industry may look like.

“I have learned how to diagnose electrical systems, air conditioning, how to repair engines, sensors and all about the engines and transmissions,” explained Mettler.

Students said they are thankful to have such a great instructor.

“Arne has taken the time to show me exactly how to do this and why you do it. So I am actually learning how to do it, I am not just going through the motions,” added Krieger.

Teaching automotives is nothing new for Lunzman.

“I got into the automotive field as a technician back in ‘75 and worked as a Ford technician for 16 years. The business decided to sell or close, so I had the opportunity to get the job here at the college in 1991. So I taught the college auto tech class for 22 years,” said Lunzman.

Lunzman said watching his students acquire practical skills is rewarding.

“I enjoy teaching these guys, it’s about watching them learn something and get proficient at it,” said Lunzman.

He said even if students don’t pursue a career in automotives, these skills will still be useful to them throughout their lives.

The automotive classes are open to students from Williston Basin School District and other regional high schools.

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