San Francisco students learn about mechanical repairs at SFMTA internship
Summer school begins, not in the classroom, but instead at a San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority bus yard for a group of 10 high school students, where every day they learn about the skilled trades of mechanical repairs.
For 16-year-old Thomas Navarro, who will be a junior at Balboa High School, he said the experience has taught him that there is more to education than just textbooks.
"I really like working with my hands, because I feel like I just get a better mindset," said Navarro. "I feel like I work better, because I understand it better."
For the past four years, the San Francisco Unified School District has partnered with SFMTA to provide internships for students through its Summer Career Exploration Program.
Mechanic Supervisor, Malei Moloa has run the program since 2020, and he said it is important to expose teens to the skilled trades.
"We give them exposure to automotive mechanics, our automotive machinists, and our machining and manufacturing," said Moala. "This is real-world experience, some of it is a lost art, and there is a huge need for it. A lot of our trades have been dying, and they have not had a lot of intakes at the lower levels."
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction industry is projected to add 155,000 new jobs annually over the next decade, with the employment of electricians expected to grow by 11 percent by 2033. And the American Welding Society claims they will need 320,500 new welding professionals by 2029.
"I have conversations with lots of city agencies, and the current workforce is getting ready to retire, and there's definitely a gap in trained machinists and auto technicians," said Mark D'Acquisto, who is a teacher in the SFUSD's College and Career Readiness Program. "So, anything we can do to expose youth to this can only help fill that void."
Navarro said, while he enjoys going to class, he believes the program gives him more options as he prepares for his future.
"I feel like there is a lot of pressure for people thinking they want to go to college, but I feel like, do what your heart tells you to because it's like at the end of the day, you're paving your own road," said Navarro.
