Two years after its launch, Subaru University at Columbia-Greene Community College (C-GCC) has begun delivering skilled employees into the local workforce.
Parmvir Grewal, who plans to graduate from the New York college’s automotive technology program next May, is the latest such success story – securing a job at Mid-Hudson Subaru as a technician intern in Wappingers Falls, New York, working on various safety issues such as airbags, backup cameras and more.
The new endeavor was made possible in part by Grewal’s participation in the Subaru University program – also known as Subaru-U – a certification option available to automotive technology students at C-GCC that, once completed, qualifies students for employment at any Subaru dealership in the country.
Talent pool
Grewal completed Level 1 and Level 2 Subaru technical training courses ahead of graduation, and caught the attention of Rob Bosch, service manager at Mid-Hudson Subaru, who said he was looking for possible new-hires through C-GCC’s program and was impressed by the skills Grewal brings to the job.
“He’s been doing really well – he’s taken off on his own,” said Bosch, noting that Mid-Hudson Subaru has been open throughout the COVID-19 shutdown and has been busy, allowing Grewal to get good hands-on experience. “He follows directions well, he listens well — and he likes to listen.”
It’s the latest step on a career path that Grewal started young, after discovering a passion for working on cars and engines.
“I was always interested in learning about cars, but nobody in my family had experience with them or really understood how they work, so I decided to take my own path — starting out with lawnmowers and tractors,” he said, noting that when enrolled in the Dutchess BOCES program, his interest in the automotive field really took off.
“I wanted to go to a good college and my counselor told me about C-GCC, so I enrolled in the automotive program and then very soon after, I signed up for Subaru-U — and that’s a decision I am not regretting at all,” he explained.
A good match
Marc Gilbert, associate professor of automotive technology, said Grewal is a prime example of what Subaru-U aims to accomplish: prepare sought-after employees for well-paying positions and in turn have a measurable impact on the local automotive workforce.
“By adding Subaru-U to our options, we not only signaled to dealerships that we have a well-heeled program, but that we can provide them with a steady pipeline of skilled employees,” he said.
Grewal is currently working part-time, on weekends and most times class is not in-session, as well as continuing to attend at-home training sessions through Subaru-U while completing his final semesters at C-GCC.
