Six young men and one young woman have begun a fully-certified, one-year course in car mechanics at Superior Auto, a full service garage in George Town.

Last year, six students began the programme, but three dropped out, leaving three to gain the internationally recognised NVQJ certificate from the Jamaica German Automotive School (JAGAS).

All three have since found employment. One has been taken on by Superior Auto, one by Prestige Motors, and one by Car City.

Theory makes up about half the course, Superior Auto has a dedicated training room where this year’s class were learning math, science, english and technical drawing

The rest is hands-on experience. “They learn how to repair a car’s suspension, brakes, transmission. Really, everything on a car,” said Mark DeMercardo, who co-owns Superior Auto with Denise DeMercado.

“Training is done by Mr. Owen Knight, a trained mechanic from the Jamaican Automotive School, along with Lead Instructor Mark DeMercado. We also have volunteers who come and help,” Ms. DeMercado said.

Trainee Sean Levy, 19, has been fixing cars and engines ever since he was 12.

“My mother told me about this course. She said it would be good for me. I have done repairs but never been paid before,” Sean said.

Jessica Dixon, 22, the only woman on the course said: “I’ve loved anything to do with cars all my life. I used to work at Cayman Airways as a reservations agent, but as soon as I heard about this programme at Superior Auto I decided to do it.

“It’s a free programme, which is great because it is basically the same programme being offered in the States, but you have to pay $6000 for that, and the Government won’t give you a scholarship to go there.”

So far, most of the finance for the programme has come from Superior Auto. “We are paying for virtually everything except for the trips to Jamaica, which are a necessary part of the course. They have so far been covered by Rotary Sunrise and Rotary Central, Price Waterhouse and Cayman Airways,” Ms DeMercado said.

“Last year the Department of Education gave us CI$10,000, and this year, HSBC has helped us with a donation of just under CI$5,000,” she added.

The DeMercados are hoping to get some more financial support this year, and were encouraged by the Premier’s recent visit to meet the young people on the programme, and his declaration of support for it.

But no matter what, Mark and Denise DeMercado are determined to continue offering the course, because they feel it is important:

“Our mission is to assist the young people who cannot afford to study overseas. We decided to teach those young people a trade.” Ms DeMercado said.

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