Collin Harris: Setting expectations for success

Prior to becoming the department chair and lead instructor of Automotive & Diesel Technology at Kilgore College in Kilgore, Texas, Collin Harris didn’t anticipate becoming an educator. As an established master diagnostic technician working for an OEM, he could’ve spent his whole career in the shop instead of the school.

Instead, he’s eight years into his teaching career, heading up the very program he originally went through years ago. Nerve damage from a motorcycle accident made him look into other options when a local tech school asked him to come in to teach as an adjunct. Three years of teaching night classes after full days of work as a technician later, he and his family moved back to East Texas, where he’s originally from. His alma mater, Kilgore College, just so happened to post an opening that fit his skill set perfectly around the same time. Now the department chair, it’s clear that he found the right path.

Q: How do you prepare your students for transitioning from a classroom environment to the professional world?

Collin Harris: By holding them accountable. That’s the best thing I’ve found. I don’t think a lot of programs do a great job of setting real-world expectations. Like, “Hey man, you’ve got to do your homework or you won’t succeed on the tests.” Too many people spoon-feed answers.

We set expectations—listen the first time, or there are consequences. Usually, it affects your grade. Are you on time? Are you dressed appropriately? We have a whole grading structure based on professionalism, and we really emphasize that.

Q: Has your perception of ASE changed after becoming an educator?

Harris: Honestly, I don’t think it’s changed much. I’ve always seen value in ASE certifications. They show employers that you at least know what you’re talking about. Some manufacturers have moved away from requiring them, which I disagree with. When I worked for Toyota, you had to have certain certifications to move up. It’s nice to be able to say, “I teach the same material as everyone else, and I’m held to the same standards. 

I always tell students two things: 

1. I teach the same content as other programs, but I’m a lot cheaper because I’m at a community college in East Texas, one of the smallest in the state, maybe the country.
2. Our tuition and fees are low, class sizes are small, and you get instructors who actually care.

So no, my view of ASE hasn’t changed. I still think it’s important.

Q: Is that something you try to instill in your students?

Harris: Absolutely. I tell them all the time that the only people I’ve ever heard say ASE doesn’t matter are the ones who can’t pass the tests. That’s held true. 

Q: How’s the conference been so far? What have you gained from it?

Harris: There’s a lot of new technology out there. I’m not as far removed from the shop as some of my peers, but I still appreciate learning new ways to teach. Other than that, the conference is fun. We don’t always attend; it depends on the location. We’re a small college with a small budget, so travel isn’t always possible. But overall, it’s been good. We’ve learned new things and seen new ways to do things.

Q: Anything else you’d like to say about teaching or the industry?

Harris: I will say this: we have a huge need for technicians. The industry says that all the time. One thing I didn’t realize until I got into academia is how little emphasis the industry places on academia itself, on education. A lot of instructors, bosses, and techs say, “I can replace the sensor, that’s good enough.” But to be a truly elite technician, you need to understand how it works. With older master techs retiring and new kids coming in, mentorship is lacking. We need to emphasize school more. And that’s not just on ASE or instructors, we need support from service managers and manufacturers too.