It’s electric: PCC auto grad lands job with Tesla
“In the auto industry, where they’re always trying to bring out the new best thing, you have to be willing to adapt. You’re always learning.”
Andrew Gomez-Wormington’s words illustrate his own experience. A 2023 graduate of PCC’s automotive technology program, he was accepted into a course developed by Tesla and now works as a technician at the carmaker’s Colorado Springs location.
He learned about the opportunity through James Cordova, chair of PCC’s auto program. Though Gomez-Wormington graduated right before PCC introduced its own electric vehicle training, Cordova made sure students were well informed about the evolution of that industry and its career prospects.
There is no cost for Tesla’s training; students who are accepted spend several months at a campus – in this case, one in Aurora – and receive a stipend while they learn.
“There were (students) from all over the country,” said Gomez-Wormington. “They basically firehose everything Tesla at you and there’s a test at the end. Monday through Wednesday is classwork. Thursday and Friday, you go to service centers to actually work in the shop and chat with people. It’s like an extended interview in that way.”
Gomez-Wormington said the extensive hands-on learning in PCC’s program – even though he worked on gasoline-powered vehicles – provided him with a sturdy foundation for the Tesla training.
“There were a lot of people at PCC, but I noticed if you were willing to take the initiative and ask questions, you could get ahead. When you can put (your knowledge) into practice, it’s different than reading out of a book.”
Tesla has five levels of technicians. Gomez-Wormington is transitioning from the first to second level, where he’ll have more responsibility. He intends to earn his way to the third level and then move into management.
“People think electric vehicles are super complicated, but if there’s an opportunity to dive in and learn, you’ll be OK. Just don’t be scared to jump in headfirst and try new stuff,” he said. “Whether people like electric cars or not, that’s where everything’s going.”
