New York School Sees Record Female Enrollment in Automotive Technology Courses

Hudson Valley Community College of Troy, New York, has seen a record number of women enroll in automotive programs, reports WRGB CBS 6 News.

This fall, a total of 13 women have enrolled in automotive-related majors, marking the highest number HVCC has seen to date.

The college has also been holding a Girls in STEM program to encourage more young women to enter careers in technology fields.

The automotive program at HVCC charges $15 for alumni, students, and staff to bring their vehicles in for students to work on, which Applied Technologies Department Chair Chris McNally said offers them hands-on experience of working in a shop.

“We’re training people to go out into the field to be service technicians, to fix the vehicles, to deal with the customers, to run repair shops eventually,” said McNally. “And the idea is to make sure that the students are familiar with and comfortable with fixing modern vehicles, so the electrical systems, the control systems, as well as still doing the maintaining repairs that people are familiar with oil changes, tires, front end alignment.”