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WINTER 2022–23
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Sparking Interest in High-Demand Automotive Careers
than 10 years. “When you look at how many ogy, Pulaski recently added a body shop with a
cars are on the road—they will all need repair paint booth to expand the range of skills acces-
at some point. The automotive industry just sible to students.
keeps getting more exciting as new technol- Is the program a success? Hundreds of
ogy comes along and then we train to work on graduates have gone on to technical schools
these new innovations.” or have been hired directly after graduation. A
Automotive training of this intensity number of students have honed their skills and
would not be possible without local partners opened their own neighborhood repair shops.
who serve as mentors and offer internships. Pulaski sees a significant number of students
A number of local dealers, professional asso- being hired as youth apprentices while in
ciations, auto repair shops, and body shops are high school and then transitioning to full-time
actively engaged to serve as guest speakers employment directly after they graduate.
and volunteers. Partners also hire students as “I love going to school every day,” said
interns or youth apprentices. a Pulaski student. “I’m training for something
An advisory board made up of com- I want to do for the rest of my life. The wages
munity partners is essential to refining and are great and I know I’m not following a dead
adapting the program. Industry experts regu- end. I could not get this training anywhere else
larly review curriculum, skills, technology, in the city except for Pulaski.”
Milwaukee Public Schools (ASE), which sets high program standards, and student outcomes to make recommenda-
Can students step out of high school and requires instructors to maintain ASE certifica- tions and provide connections that keep pace
into a lucrative, in-demand career? The answer tion, and allows students to earn a credential. with ongoing changes in the industry. schools.milwaukee.
is yes at Casimir Pulaski High School in Mil- At Pulaski, the pathway begins when stu- As a result of ongoing reviews of the k12.wi.us/pulaski
waukee, Wisconsin. Students at Pulaski have dents take a survey course. Beginning in the automotive curriculum and classroom technol-
the option to pursue an automotive program sophomore year, students can enroll in courses
that prepares them to work in auto shops or such as engine repair, suspension and steering,
car dealerships or to continue their training in vehicle diagnosis, and auto servicing. Students
technical school. learn to work with tools and technology for
Pulaski, which is part of Milwau- use with fuel injection, air induction, exhaust
kee Public Schools, has offered the systems, emission controls, and more. ASE
automotive pathway for more than 30 years, standards are followed for all instruction.
and the program has grown to encompass three Luis Vallejo and Pablo Bras are the
complete auto shops with two full-time teach- automotive teachers at Pulaski. Vallejo is a
ers. For the 2022-23 school year, about 150 graduate of Pulaski who spent years working
students are enrolled. By the time they gradu- in the industry. His career came full circle
ate, many students receive ASE certification when he left his employment and returned to
and most will go on to technical schools. Pulaski to teach. Bras was a Pulaski science
The high school automotive program is teacher who altered his own pathway to teach
one of the largest in the state of Wisconsin and auto body work.
the only program in the city of Milwaukee. A “Students who enter automotive careers
key feature is certification by the Automotive will always have a job,” said Vallejo, who has
Service Excellence Educational Foundation been an automotive teacher at Pulaski for more
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