Tully Williams talks with students at a recent college night event.
When Tully Williams visits a high school, he knows exactly how to get students interested in community college — he shows them how to follow the money.
Williams, Director of Fixed Operations at Del Grande Dealer Group (DGDG), explains how auto technicians without a college degree make around $14 per hour, while students with college degrees start around $20 per hour and go up from there to as much as $60 per hour.
DGDG works with community colleges throughout the Bay Area to recruit automotive technology students for internships. Students spend about four weeks in training and then another four weeks working on cars at one of the group’s dealerships.
The Bay Area Community Colleges started working with DGDG in 2015 to structure a pilot internship program with Evergreen Valley College. The pilot internship was so successful that the program was expanded to include DeAnza and Chabot Colleges in 2016 and will include Solano College in 2018. DGDG’s year round activities include work preparation classes at each college, a College Night for students and their parents at DGDG’s corporate headquarters, high school pathways events, and participation at various Advisory Committee Meetings.
In order to intern at DGDG, a student must have at least a B average. Williams said he pushed for that requirement because he wants to make sure the interns have the skills necessary and the engagement to succeed in the working world.
“We’re looking for the best of the best … people who are studying and want to be part of a team,” Williams said. “That said, DGDG is growing and culture is the most important thing we focus on every day as a group. Part of our strategy includes showing them a path forward and how they can continue to make increased income to support themselves and their families.”
DGDG owner Shaun Del Grande said the company is looking to expand the number of dealerships it owns across the entire bay area and finding quality team members who have the right attitude is foundational for our success.
“With DGDG’s robust training plans for new hires we focus on hiring happy people who are willing to learn,” Del Grande said.
Whenever the group goes into a new area, one of the first meetings it sets up is with the local community college to ensure that new dealerships are ready to go with interns.
