Student Spotlight: Giovani Ortega

Automotive technology student turns his interest in cars into a career

Giovani Ortega enrolled in El Camino College’s Automotive Technology program about two years ago and is now looking forward to turning his interest in cars into a successful career.

“I took my first class in auto tech so that I could learn how to take care of my car,” said Ortega, who is currently working at a dealership and is also considering becoming an auto tech teacher one day. “Now it has become a career choice. Through this program, I found that the industry is huge. Everyone drives a car; everyone needs their car to run well; everyone needs maintenance and repairs. There is always work, and this program, with a new facility and amazing teachers, prepares you for that next step.”

The El Camino College Automotive Technology Department recently secured accreditation for its degree and certificate programs. After an accelerated two-year process of editing curriculum, securing funding, and partnering with advisory members, the automotive department received accreditation from the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Education Foundation.

Ortega said he was working as an EMT when he took his first auto tech class at El Camino College. He has been working on cars most of his life and figured he already had a good amount of knowledge when he walked in that first day.

“I realized I didn't know anything,” he said with a chuckle. “There is so much I need to learn, and I like coming to class every day. That expression ‘do what you love’ is true. Working with cars is fun; it never feels like work.”