In the automotive industry, it is not always typical for students to find jobs after college. With how far technology and vehicles have advanced, having the right experience makes all the difference.
"There's more computers on these cars than most people realize. I mean it is actually rocket science to work on a car today." Mark Jaye, lead instructor said.
At Butler, having the advantage of unique internship programs that ensure success is critical. Students are able to make an income and get straight into the industry after college. The process to begin those internships is coordinated through Jaye who has been involved in automotives since the '80s.
"To get into those internships, we go through an interview process. We have a day that we meet at a dealership and dealer representatives will be there so students can introduce themselves to the Human Resources, staff, service manages, and owners."
Mark will then oversee a method of finding the right dealership for that student to work in. Out of the many dealers that Butler is partnered with, Mark dedicates his time to guarantee his students find work in the industry.
"I will take and distribute a three-to-four week rotation for students to be assigned and go work. If the dealer likes them, they keep them, if not, we pout them back in the chute and three weeks later they'll go to another dealer. I've never had a student go more than two or three rotations before they've found home." said Jaye.
Working these internships provides a great amount of experience and skills for students to learn while also getting an education and a sizable income. The program works with some of Wichita's biggest dealers including Rusty Eck Ford, Don Hattan Chevrolet, Scholfield Honda and many more including Eddy's Volvo. Butler is proud to be one of the first collegiate Volvo Training programs in the country. The way this partnership came about was pure luck.
"They had a temporary program. They initially sent letters out, they picked a couple of schools in each state, and they only got 10 or [so] answers. I was fortunate enough to open na email and do all the paperwork and was picked and got sent to South Carolina to their mobile factory for training for a week and we hit the ground running."
It's important for students to learn how to work on automotives with an experienced professional. Jaye and the Butler Automotive team agree that some students aren't mechanically-inclined, but many want to learn.
"Those kinds of students are out there, and they need to know that they can make a dang good living doing it. There's no shame in getting your hands dirty. If a kid can come out here and spend a year where and within a [few years], make a six-figure income and they're happy. It's a good thing."