Woodshop teacher Joseph Sanchez and Auto teacher Meshack Burton in their natural habitat. Photos collage courtesy of freshman Megan Elzer.
Many students at San Luis Obispo High School take classes on industrial topics. Whether students want to learn the basics or go pro, teenagers can learn a lot from SLOHS’ wood, metal, and auto classes.
“I think the best part of taking Woodshop is the life skills you learn as well as the social aspect. It is a very social class where students work together and can talk with their peers,” said Woodshop teacher Joseph Sanchez.
These classes prepare students for future opportunities. Whether they continue in these fields or not, students might learn important life skills from box-making or car repair. In the future students can use this information in competitions.
“We aim to teach shop safety, proper tool usage, an overview of modern automotive systems, and an introduction to the automotive industry as a career path in Auto class. Our primary competition each year is SkillsUSA, where ten students participate this year across two different automotive categories, ” said Auto teacher Meshack Burton.
More specialized classes are available for students who wish to dive deeper into specific areas such as construction, welding, technology, and engineering. These courses provide students with a greater understanding of possible future professions.
The teachers in wood, metal, and auto classes have a strong commitment to teaching and pushing students to improve daily, helping turn their chosen courses into a profession.
“The most important thing I want students to learn is to problem solve and adapt to what they are doing. Work ethic and time management are also important parts of my classes. It is less about a specific skill, although that is part of welding, I want students to learn how to learn and apply that learning to tangible projects,” said Metalshop teacher Tim Fay.
SLOHS students have a lot of opportunities outside of high school to advance their education at Cal Poly University.
As a polytechnic institution, there are tons of opportunities in engineering, metal fabrication, construction, programming, as well as agriculture, creating a vibrant environment for students in their fields.
“I would like to be in certain areas such as mechanical engineering where I can still work with metal but not be fully involved,” said senior Treyce League.
Expressions hope that students will take advantage of San Luis Obispo High School’s in-depth and vast classes on art, technology, history, and industry that can grant various opportunities for future education and potential.