JACKSON, Mich. — Jackson College shuttered its automotive program. Thursday it hosted an auction to sell off the program’s equipment.
After 20 years, Jackson College made the decision to discontinue its automotive service technology program because of a severe decline in enrollment. It was closed down in February 2019.
“We had nearly 1,300 students that received certifications throughout that time so, we’re very proud of that,” said Chief Operating Officer Cindy Allen.
They were not able to resurrect the program so they had to shut it down.
“We did teach all the students so nobody was harmed in the process. We just didn’t have enough to keep it going,” Allen said.
At the peak of the program, the college had up to eight classes each day.
“Each one had 20 to 30 students in it,” she said. “It was good. It was robust and they had fun over there. We had great instructors over there. Towards the very end we literally were teaching out a small handful of students so they could finish their certifications, go out and get employed.”
In its place will be a new advanced manufacturing program that also has an arts component. Allen says students can start registering in two weeks with more details to be released later.
“We realize the importance of adding the arts into the mix,” she said. “What we’ve always heard from employers is we need to make sure that we focus on our students and the fact they know how to team build and think outside of just hands-on type of manufacturing.”
That’s why officials held an auction to sell off equipment ranging from automotive lifts to heavy duty tool boxes and work benches.
The money from the auction will go back into the college’s general fund and used to repurpose the former automotive technology area and buy new equipment.
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