Tesla
Cypress College used its CEC funding to further its existing relationship with Tesla.
About a dozen students from the college’s Automotive Technology program are completing paid internships at Tesla service centers.
CEC funds were used to purchase specialized tool storage units, insulated tools and other test equipment necessary to work on hybrid and electric vehicles. The college has two Tesla cars that it uses to prepare students for those internships.
Specialized tool storage unit.
Automotive Technology Instructor Marty Orozco said that, because Teslas are so unique, it’s essential for those students to have experience with the cars before they set foot into the service center.
“We don’t want students to go to their job at a Tesla store and have to ask ten people how to open a Tesla, how to move it, or how to park it,” Orozco said.
Tesla also helped design the educational pathway for its interns. Students receive an educational plan to track course progress and provide transcripts to Tesla to show successful completion.
Orozco said the work with Tesla builds on strong relationships that the college already has with other automakers. The college is part of the Toyota’s Technician Training & Education Network and is also exploring a new partnership with Subaru.
