Our Faculty
Brian Hagopian
AS Automotive Technology, Fresno City College
Subject taught: Automotive Technology
Mr. Hagopian started off at Fresno City College taking many different classes because "I wanted to be all kinds of things! Biologist, chemist, astronaut. then I took an Auto Tech class and fell in love with it. But boy, were my parents mad!" His father had his own commercial maintenance business and told Hagopian he would "give me the worst jobs so I'd get a professional 'desk' job someday. But after two years I was making more than he was, so he started bragging about his son who worked at the Cadillac dealership!" While at a training session for GM he was invited to become an instructor at Las Positas College. "I had always thought teaching would be neat,"so he took the job.
Does he have any recommendations for students who want to be Automotive Technicians? "Take your math and your English classes. Employers expect people who can read, write, and communicate" and solve the complex computer problems cars have today.
Terry Johnson
AA Biblical Studies, Sacramento Theological Seminary and Bible College
BA Theology, Sacramento Theological Seminary and Bible College
MA Christian Counseling, Sacramento Theological Seminary and Bible College
Subject taught: Automotive Technology
Mr. Johnson worked as an Automotive Technician straight out of high school. He completed a State Apprenticeship in Automotive Technology at College of Alameda. Still, he continued to take "a myriad of college classes" to further his career and open up new doors. Eventually he was eventually promoted to District Manager for Mac Tools. Mr. Johnson's next job was teaching for the GM Service Technical College which was located at that time in San Leandro. When GM was looking to consolidate their programs he brought the GM STC to Las Positas College.
"I'm really enthused about this program," he said. "There is a shortage of people in this industry. People with automotive training can work in a shop, or with computers, manufacturing, hydraulics or electronics. Employers in this field aren't necessarily looking for people with experience. We prepare our students for the workforce with some basic training - the rest is up to the student to show up to work, on time, willing to learn on the job."
Mr. Johnson also works as a marriage and family counselor as pastor of TJ Ministries and serves in the pulpit at Greater Maranatha Church of God in Christ in Stockton.
Jessica Wilde
AA Marketing, Central Texas College
BA English Education , University of Central Texas
BS Business Communication, University of Maryland
MBA, Rochville University
MTE Multicultural Education, University of Massachusetts
JD Candidate, Concord School of Law
Subjects Taught: Automotive Technology, English, Special Education, Speech and Debate, Competitive Cheerleading and Dance
After graduating from high school, Ms. Wilde joined the army to earn money for college and was a supply manager in Korea during the Gulf War. Upon leaving the army she and her mechanic husband bought their first automotive repair shop from a friend in Massachusetts. Ms. Wilde decided to return home to the Bay Area and purchased four more repair businesses from owners who were looking to retire.
"The automotive industry changes so rapidly," she said. "The transition from the stereotypical 'grease monkey' mechanic to the highly skilled, automotive technician of today, who can diagnose and repair complicated computer controlled vehicles, has really opened the field up to women. Cars are fixed using your brain now, not your biceps."
Ms. Wilde had taken smog classes here at LPC and employed students at her shops, so she was familiar with the college. She also missed teaching and wanted to spend more time with her children. She is now in the process of selling her businesses and working to enhance the LPC Automotive Technology Curriculum.
"The instructors at LPC really care about the students. Classes are small so there is lots of communication and an excellent rapport between the students and instructors." That rapport continues after students complete the program - she laughed as she told a story of an LPC graduate who was working in one of her shops and, on his first day, sneaked out to call his former instructor with a question on how to fix a car. "The students consider the instructors to be their friends," she observed. "And the instructors really care about the students."