IC Auto Spa Interns from the Chicago Public School System Have a Rewarding Experience

CHICAGO - July 16, 2014 - PRLog -- IC Auto Spa a premiere customization and restoration shop located in Chicago, has given its expertise to students in the Chicago Public School system for an automotive internship. This internship is apart of the Career & Technical Education program, that CPS has launched to prepare more students for careers in the automotive technician industry. High school Juniors and Seniors who have met eligibility requirements within their CTE automotive curriculum were selected for paid hands on training for four hours a day from June to August this summer.

So far students have worked on a plethora of restored and customized vehicles.  This experience has been rewarding thus far says IC Auto Spa President Derrick Williams, "I think the questions the students are asking, has helped to keep my staff on its toes. Summer is my busiest season, so there has not been a lack of projects for them to work on, and not one intern has seemed intimidated yet by the workload. I think it helps that I have a multi cultural staff, making a comfortable environment for my Hispanic interns. It also helps that I have a dedicated bunch of interns willing to learn. I hope that they look back fondly on this experience."

The goal of the CTE program is for students to earn a post secondary degree or an industry-recognized certification, and land a job that leads to a successful career. According to United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, who previously served for eight years as the CEO of the Chicago Public Schools….." many of the nations that are out-performing us educationally today have far more effective vocational educational systems than the United States. In a statement regarding the  “Pathways to Prosperity” Report from the Harvard Graduate School of Education Pathways to Prosperity Project,  Mr. Duncan points out that only nine percent of older, low-income black teens and 15 percent of low-income Hispanic teens now have jobs. This is in contrast with that of white teenagers from middle to upper income families, who are four times more likely to be working than low income black teens.

This is IC Auto Spa's first year involved with the CTE program, the company hopes to continue a long term relationship with the Chicago Public Schools in order to do its part to help teach interns "employable skills". In a time where Chicago is being spotlighted for its violence, it is IC Auto Spa's hope to play a part in keeping students motivated and off the streets.