Adam Spitz

For almost as long as he can remember, Adam Spitz has been fixing things – first bicycles, then motorcycles and cars. “I just kind of had a knack for it,” he said. “It was something I was really good at and something I really enjoyed doing.” Which is why, after graduating from Yucca Valley High School in 1991, Spitz enrolled at nearby Copper Mountain College to learn the ins and outs of operating an auto repair and servicing business.

It was among the best moves he ever made. Today, Spitz owns and operates Ultimate Motors, employs a crew of nine people, and is a walking advertisement for career education programs at local community colleges. In fact, his eldest daughter will soon be enrolling in the nursing program at Copper Mountain, en route to becoming a health care professional.

“These programs are all hands-on,” said Spitz. “I was working on cars and trucks at school, and you’re being taught by industry professionals. Especially out here in the desert, career education at a community college is vital. It’s vital to the economy and it’s vital for people who are looking to earn a decent living.”

The Inland Empire/Desert Regional Consortium of community colleges is especially adept at preparing budding entrepreneurs such as Spitz for success. Among the many successes:

• Crafton Hills College’s Child Development and Teacher Education programs, in which students are boosting their earnings by 75 percent, in an array of employment specialties ranging from child care to art, music, and dance instruction.
• Barstow Community College’s Business, Accounting, Career Workforce Readiness & Management program, which helps nearly 75 percent of students earn the regional living wage. The CTE department at Barstow stresses the importance of management skills to help its students learn how to be effective all-around employees, and not just skilled at their trade.
• College of the Desert’s Registered Nursing and Licensed Vocational Nursing programs, from which 75 percent of students find jobs paying the regional living wage. This success rate is thanks to the strong relationships that the college has built with local hospitals and health facilities, in addition to its success in helping students find clinical internships.
• Norco College’s Construction Technology program, from which 84 percent of students find jobs paying the regional living wage, thanks to the collaboration with industry professionals who helped design the curriculum. All classes are held at night, because most students are working adults, enrolled part-time, who see the benefit of expanding their knowledge of the industry.

For Spitz, enrolling at Copper Mountain College was a big “no-duh.” “My family didn’t have a lot of money. Copper Mountain is affordable, it’s close, and they teach you a trade that will put you in a good-paying job or career.”

Indeed, the Automotive Technology Program at the Joshua Tree campus is designed to meet the requirements and standards set forth by the National Technician Education Foundation, and to provide students with a solid foundation in state-of-the-art automotive systems theory and repair practice. Among the options are an Associate Degree in Automotive Technology with an Emphasis on Employment Preparation, along with certificates of achievement in Automotive Technology; Engine Performance and Driveability; Air Conditioning and Heating Services and Repair; Transmission Service, Repair and Overhaul; Steering and Suspension Service; and Alternative Fuel Vehicles. Courses cover everything from Principles to Automotive Technology to Hybrid and Alternative Fuel Vehicles.

What’s more, Copper Mountain offers training needed to earn certification as an Automotive Service Excellence professional, a designation that takes the guesswork out of finding a well-trained mechanic. Working as an automotive technician while going to school, Spitz’s Copper Mountain College credential helped him land a job as a service manager at Ultimate Motors, which specializes in European-made cars, but also has developed a niche servicing Fords, Chevrolets, and other American brands. Eleven years ago, after returning to school and earning a bachelor’s degree in business, he bought the company. A few of his employees have also taken classes at Copper Mountain.

“Copper Mountain helped me learn the ins and outs of running a business, it provided me the opportunity to hone my skills as an automotive service professional, and it gave me the confidence to move forward,” Spitz said. “Business is thriving. We’re doing very well. I’m very proud of what we have going here.”