Jumpstarting his career in the automotive industry

BY MIA RAMIREZ

THE MIRROR STAFF

To senior Thomas Polce, revving engines, drifting wheels and the glossy finish of a new paint job are as close to heaven as it gets. The automotive-enthusiast has been interested in cars for as long as he could remember.

“I used to create custom Lego cars and when I was much younger I would love spotting rare cars around L.A. when I got the chance,” Polce said.

As a freshman, he found the opportunity to pursue his passion by joining the school's automotive program, which he has been a part of for the last four years.

“Auto shop was a path that I could take to further my knowledge and passion in the auto shop world,” Polce said.

The automotive program is a career and technical education-oriented course taught by Mr. Joseph Agruso, which allows students to learn about the components of automotive vehicles, as well as the basics of repairing them.

Students learn through hands-on experience by working on school staff members’ cars.

“I am able to learn in the classroom and then also perform what I learn in real world applications,” Polce said. “I have learned how to work on actual cars and build electrical circuits.”

While she does worry that she may lose her love for art by pursuing a career in it, she's willing to take that risk.

“I have explored other career options but I found that I was only passionate about art,” Arca explained. “I love the process of creating artwork and sharing that joy with others. Even though art careers are known for being difficult, I still want to pursue it because I love art so much.”

Though Arca’s culture values careers in business and medicine over careers in art, her parents are still highly supportive of her passion.

“Nothing really inspired me to pursue a career in art aside from my mom’s constant support of my dreams,” she said. "My mother is an accountant but she wanted to be an interior designer when she was younger. She is my biggest supporter and my passion wouldn’t be as developed as it is today without her.” pursue.

The artist plans to continue to do what she loves without letting others dictate her future.

“I want to go into a career in illustration, painting or visual development in the future,” she said.

Art is many things for Arca: a friend, a therapist and a community. Pushing these things aside to follow a more traditional occupation would be like changing the entire trajectory of her life to amount to a soulless experience.

“I feel like I would not recognize myself if I didn’t pursue art,” she explained. “It was instrumental to my growth as a person because of the unexpected lessons I would learn through creating art.”

In addition to teaching students how to repair automotive vehicles and various technical skills, the auto shop program also gives students the opportunity to apply these skills outside of the classroom.

According to Polce, the program helped him get a paid internship with the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (SCVWA) during his junior year of high school.

There, Polce works with his supervisor to perform maintenance on fleet vehicles owned by the agency.

Polce has thoroughly enjoyed his time working for the company and has found ways to apply the skills he has learned through the automotive program.

“I’m enjoying my experience working at SCVWA, not only because I get to work in a field that’s related to my interest, but I’m also able to take what I have learned in auto shop and apply it in my work,” Polce said.

Since the school’s automotive program is well-known in the community, when SCVWA was searching for interns, Mr. Agruso’s auto shop was one of the first places they looked. This is how Polce obtained his internship.

“This is the first year SCVWA has had an internship program, so they were looking for high school students in the Valley,” Polce said. “Just being in the auto shop program

“The stigma around art careers being unviable and useless is severely discouraging, especially to younger people that plan to pursue their dreams in art,” she said. “I find it hypocritical when people say to follow your dreams yet shame art careers because it doesn’t earn well. Art careers are one of the hardest careers to be successful in because they stray from the conventional path to success compared to other jobs. If an artist’s passion is strong enough to withstand the stigma and tumultuous experience of an art career, then it is successful.”

No matter the medium, many artists face scrutiny over their career choice. Arca says that she's had enough of it.

“People should be open-minded and respectful when commenting on people’s decision to pursue art because enforcing the stigma around art careers is detrimental to a person’s relationship with art,” she said. “Art careers definitely have their cons, but expressing those concerns can be done in a mature and healthy way.” here helped me get the job.”

Polce has also won various awards in SkillsUSA competitions.

SkillsUSA is a technical and career program that is associated with the school’s automotive program. The program provides students with educational opportunities, community service and competitions that support career and technical education in the classroom.

“We compete in automotive competitions for SkillsUSA and I have placed first in several different competitions,” he said. “I think that adds to my accomplishments that have helped me get this job.”

Polce was not the first student to receive an opportunity like this, and he certainly will not be the last.

“Mr. Agruso, our instructor, puts a lot of the students in different internships and jobs,” he said.

Students from Mr. Agruso’s classes have gotten jobs and internships at companies such as Galpin Motors, Keyes Auto Group and more.

Seeing all of his students succeed in their new positions fills Mr. Agruso with a strong sense of pride.

“I have the best job in the world,” he said. “I get to watch our students get jobs as engineers and technicians, which helps them to attend many higher education schools."