Fixing even minor repairs on a vehicle can be daunting without a bit of training, but a recent Ivy Tech Community College workshop helped equip about 10 people with the know-how.
Co-sponsored by the Northwest Indiana Community Action, the first annual Automobile Maintenance Workshop was held at the East Chicago campus on Columbus Drive.
The goal of the workshop was to teach basic automotive maintenance skills, especially to people who have never been taught these skills and depend on others to help them with these needs, according to teacher Lionel Henderson.
“Many car owners are scared of the constantly changing technology in today’s vehicles including electric vehicles and hybrids,” said Henderson, who is the Ivy Tech Automotive Program Chair. “Over 30 percent of the public relies on automotive service centers to inspect and service their vehicles. These people are the target of our workshop.”
Teachers demonstrated tasks, including routine checking and monitoring engine oil, coolant and brake fluid levels; using a simple, inexpensive gauge to check tire air pressure; and visual inspection of the condition of tires, lights, brakes, wiper blades, and hoses.
Henderson and Manuel Rodriguez led the workshop, and they are both ASE master certified instructors at the Ivy Tech Department of Automotive Technology, which offers technical certificates and degree programs in several fields of automotive diagnosis and repair.
Northwest Indiana Community Action’s family development supervisor Kelly Diernfeld and family development specialist Megahn Sexon helped put together the event.
“Our focus is to help people become independent and workshops such as this teach the needed skills that make them able to take care of their cars on their own,” Diernfeld said.
Attendee Emelyn Sexon, mother of Megahn, was pleased with the knowledge of car care she obtained from the workshop.
“I found the course very useful for people who don’t know anything about their cars, especially about car safety,” Sexon said. “I recommend it to everyone.”
Henderson stated that he plans to offer more in-depth demonstrations and “how-tos” in the warmer months with the help of the Ivy Tech’s auto club.
Jane Bokun is a freelance writer for the Post-Tribune.
