I had the opportunity of interviewing the only Autotech teacher, Mr. Magnusson. He is a teacher from Sweden who instructs Autotech 1-3.

Ali:How long have you been teaching this course?

Mr. Magnusson: Ever since I graduated from university, which has been a very long time.

Ali: What is the most important thing that people learn in this class?

Mr. Magnusson: I think safety is one of the most important tasks that people should learn this in this class. This allows students to know the dangers of the program and to let my students be safe.

Ali: Are there any certifications you could be rewarded with in Autotech?

Mr. Magnusson: Yes. The students can earn safety certifications through SP2(Website), workplace readiness skills, and the student ASE certification credit if you’re in Autotech 2 or 3.

Ali: What do you think that students enjoy the most about this course?

Mr. Magnusson: I think the students enjoy the interaction with their classmates and the vehicles. They like to learn about the history of the cars and how to repair these automobiles. They also like to know my past and the situations I have been through to help these students learn in this environment. Maybe, they also like to learn about my culture. Just depends on the situation.

Ali: Autotech 2 & 3 are 2 periods. Why is that?

Mr.Magnusson: There are a lot more credentials that the upper classes need to have that Auto 1 doesn’t. We need more time for the students to get a full understanding of the course. So, we sometimes allow one class to be dedicated for learning and the other class for working in the autoshop. There is just a lot of material that people need to acquire knowledge of, if they want to have a career in auto mechanics.

I also interviewed one of the students named AB Osman to get a deep understanding of the course.

Ali: What made you take Autotech?

AB: I really just wanted to be more familiar with cars because I felt like I didn’t know that much. If I was like in a situation where if my car has had a problem, I would want to know how to fix it.

Ali: What’s the best part about Autotech?

AB: Cars are cool, but I definitely like the free time where we can freestyle a little.

Ali: What do you mean by freestyling?

AB: Freestyling, like dropping some rhymes.

Ali: What have you learned in that class? AB: I’ve learned about how to change wheels and tires. I learned how to check the tire pressure, the battery, and basically an all around understanding of everything.

If you wish to learn more about the program, please email Mr. Magnusson at: rmagnusson@fcps.edu