Christopher Garey, a senior in the auto service and technology department at Carbon Career & Technical Institute, spoke to the board at its recent meeting about his experiences at CCTI and at an automotive competition.

Garey, a student from the Palmerton Area School District, was introduced by Harold Resh, department instructor.

“I came from Palmerton last year,” Garey said. “I started about two weeks into the school year. Everyone else had a head start on me, but I was really dedicated to the program and I really wanted to get caught up. Mr. Resh helped me jump in, and I started hammering it really hard, and this year I’ve been excelling pretty good.

“I have eight out of my 10 NATEF (National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation) certifications done. I got my OSHA 10 (safety course), currently working on my OSHA 30. And I just completed my Pa. Safety Inspection program (through CCTI’s Adult Education Program) and I’m expecting my license in the mail pretty soon.”

Garey also took part in the Greater Lehigh Valley Auto Dealers Association competition held at Northampton Community College. He and Lucas Miller, another CCTI student from Palmerton, came in second place, missing first place by just 4 points.

“They had seven stations for all different things,” Garey explained. “They had a brakes station, we had to read an oscilloscope, there was an electrical one, steering and suspension. And there was a car that was ‘bugged’ that had all these things wrong with it. We had to do a PDI (predelivery inspection). There were things missing from the car, it wouldn’t start and we had to diagnose what was wrong it and get it running in one hour.”

Garey currently works at R.F. Ohl. He is enrolled and plans to attend classes at the University of Northwestern Ohio and will be in the construction program, focusing on heavy diesel and agricultural equipment.

He has plans for his future.

“I eventually want to own my own heavy equipment tech shop, to have a fleet ... mostly field work,” he said.

Erin Snyder, the CCTI representative from Palmerton, spoke up and thanked Garey for his drive to work in the industry and wished him luck in his future endeavors.