Chipola College Automotive instructor John Gardner has signed on as the host of a new television show, “Tech Garage,” presented by Advance Auto Parts and airing on Discovery’s Velocity Channel beginning in January 2015.
Tech Garage is an automotive how-to show focusing on theory, operation and diagnostics of vehicle systems. The series will air beginning in January at 8 a.m. on Saturdays, and replay at 8 a.m. on Sundays. More than 52 million American households (45 percent of households with television) receive Velocity. The show also will be available on the web.
McCall says, “John Gardner has a knack for explaining cars in a way that regular people can comprehend. I’m not a car guy, but I understand what he’s talking about. This show should have great appeal for everyone from the professional mechanic to the guy who just wants to know how something works.”
Chipola’s Gardner is no stranger to the camera. Since 2013, he and fellow automotive instructor Chase Vlieg, have been the national faces for Advance Auto Parts’ team member video training series used by thousands of employees. Gardner says, “I want to thank the college and our Advisory committee for supporting me in this project. I am very lucky to have so many friends who have helped me. Chase Vlieg, Chipola’s other automotive instructor, has been my right hand man throughout this whole process.”
Darwin Gilmore, Chipola’s Dean of Workforce programs, says, “John is an incredible talent. We are so proud of his accomplishments that have led to this opportunity, but his automotive students are the real winners. They get to learn from a world-class instructor every day which puts them in line for a great career in the automotive industry.”
The Chipola Automotive Technology program utilizes an industry-based curriculum in partnership with local shops, and an advisory committee to provide students with the competitive edge in the ever-changing, high-tech training environment. The program has excellent job placement rates and is accredited by The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF).
The Chipola Automotive Program was named Florida’s Best Business and Education Partnership by the Bellwether Awards program, and was nominated for an Exemplary Practice Award by the Association of Florida Colleges. Chipola was a finalist for Tomorrow’s Technician magazine’s School of the Year, and runner-up for a 2012 Bellwether Award in Workforce Development.
For information, visit www.velocity.com and www.chipola.edu.
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