Blue Ridge Community College welcomes new Automotive Systems Technology instructor Jeremy Hall. Hall instructs the Transylvania County Campus’s Career & College Promise (CCP) high school students. Hall will work with CCP students to help them gain automotive certifications while simultaneously working toward high school graduation. Students from Brevard High, Rosman High and Davidson River School are eligible to participate in Blue Ridge Community College’s Automotive Systems Technology CCP Program.
Hall grew up in the marshes near Charleston, SC where he became interested in mechanics while repairing his family’s boats and other small engines. Hall has a unique outlook on the CCP program. He attended a magnet high school to participate in the automotive program. After high school, Hall spent a year in Germany in a work exchange program with Ford and BMW. Upon return from Germany, Hall attended the automotive and heavy duty truck program at Universal Technical Institute (UTI). Hall worked as a technician for several BMW dealerships in the southeast for twenty one years before coming to Blue Ridge.
Hall brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the automotive program at Blue Ridge. He first learned about the program from a co-worker at BMW and former graduate of the program, Adam Riddle. When asked why he decided to become an instructor at Blue Ridge, Hall said, “I have worked with many Blue Ridge graduates over the years. They were always conscientious about their work, very knowledgeable about automotive systems and had a lot of good things to say about the program. I wanted to be part of a place that has such a great reputation for producing quality mechanics.”
Hall hopes to bring his real world experience into his classroom and shop. “There is a huge difference between learning automotive concepts in the book and experiencing them on the shop floor. Both are equally important, but the shop experience makes the work more relatable to students,” said Hall.
One of the things that attracted Hall to the automotive profession was the collaboration and camaraderie between coworkers. “The guys in every shop I have worked in are always joking around with each other. However, if you have a situation where you need help or advice, they are always willing to help you out. I enjoy watching my students develop those relationships in our program,” said Hall.
When asked what he hopes students gain from this program, Hall says, “Obviously, I hope my students learn how to diagnose an issue on a vehicle, problem solve the best way to fix the issue and ultimately repair the vehicle. More importantly, I hope they find the satisfaction that comes from the whole repair process and helping out the owner of the vehicle.” He continues, “I want students to realize that these classes will teach them a useful skill that will make them very employable. Even if they choose not to work as a technician, there are other opportunities within the field, such as a customer service representative, service advisor, salesperson or shop manager that will use the skills taught in our courses.”
Transylvania County students take Blue Ridge’s Automotive Systems Technology classes alongside other classes required for high school graduation. The automotive classes are scheduled in three hour blocks both in the morning and the afternoon. Each three hour block is designed to include several classes taken in conjunction, so students can gain certification before high school graduation.
Automotive Systems Technology classes are available for Career and College Promise students and for people who have completed high school. Registration for all Blue Ridge classes begins on February 28,2022 for summer and fall classes. To register for CCP classes with Jeremy Hall, contact Will King, BRCC Career Coach at 828-243-3960 or wking@blueridge.edu. To register for post secondary classes contact Rob Rhodes, Student Services Coordinator, at 828-694-1905 or rwrhodes@blueridge.edu.
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