Reedley High School ROP Automotive class receives 'Automotive Service Excellence' accreditation

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- In the Kings Canyon Unified School District, automotive students can rest assured they're getting the best hands-on experience.

The Regional Occupational Program was recently accredited for Automotive Service Excellence.

It's the highest level that any Automotive Training program can achieve.

Reedley High School Senior Salvador Mendoza grew up watching his dad work on cars.

With each flat tire or oil change, his interest grew.

"Since I was little, I always thought about playing with Legos, and I think a car is really just big Legos," Mendoza said.

That's why he joined the ROP Automotive class his sophomore year.

The class spends three days a week in a classroom learning theories and techniques.

The other two days are spent in the shop getting hands-on experience.

That includes seeing the latest vehicle technology thanks to a partnership with a local car dealership in Reedley.

Students are lead by Instructor Gustavo Mendoza.

"It just gives them the basic fundamentals on how all the automotive systems work," Instructor Mendoza said.

Instructor Mendoza says the goal is to expose students to the automotive field.

Now, they can assure students they're prepared to join the career field because the automotive program just received the 'Automotive Service Excellence' Accreditation.

The recognition is handed out by the ASE-Educational Foundation, which evaluates and accredits entry-level technician training programs.

It's the highest level any automotive training program can achieve, and there aren't many other shops that are accredited in Central California.

"If I'm not mistaken, there's only other two - so we'd be the third one from Bakersfield to Sacramento area to have this accreditation. It is really something really special and something that we're real proud of here at Reedley High School," Instructor Mendoza said.

In order to receive the accreditation, the program must have the curriculum, shop and expectations that exceed industry standard.

Valley Regional Occupations Program Superintendent Fabrizio LoFaro says an ongoing effort from the district and the program made it possible.

"It really shows that the program not only meets the national standards, but also meets the needs of the industry and that's what we want to do," LoFaro said.

Instructor Mendoza says everything they do and will continue to do is to make sure they're in the best position possible for their future careers.

"We want to get them hands-on experience. That way, if they go out in the field, less training has to be done because we already prepared them to be successful out there in the shop," Instructor Mendoza said.

The students are dually enrolled with the State Center Community College District.

That means, if they take this class all three years, they will have completed the prerequisites, putting them ahead to join the automotive programs at Fresno City College or Reedley College.

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