Why for Automotive Program Supervisor Lewis Fell, IntelliTec College Ranks Best in Class
“Second would not be where I want to be…”
Why for Automotive Program Supervisor Lewis Fell, IntelliTec College Ranks Best in Class
When it comes to experience in the automotive industry, Lewis Fell has it in spades. He was just nine years old when he got his start working alongside his Dad in the family gas station and repair shop. What began as a way to earn money for a new bike would become a rich and storied career in the auto industry. Today, he helps foster new talent in the field as the Automotive Program Supervisor at IntelliTec College in Grand Junction.
After graduating from Wyoming Tech, Fell worked at an independent garage that serviced Mercedes, BMW, and Porsche. From there, he became a Master Tech for Toyota, followed by a Parts Manager for Land Rover, before joining the team at IntelliTec in 2018. After more than five decades in the industry, Fell says he’s most excited these days to share his knowledge and help others get their start in the field. “ I have always enjoyed sharing what I know about cars,” says Fell. He lights up when he shares about what it means to help students get the training and support they need to succeed:
“ I’ve had students say, ‘I don’t know anything about cars, I don’t even know if I belong here, to fixing cars out in the shop, whether it’s their own or our shop cars. Watching them grow is what’s fun.”
In his role as Program Supervisor, it’s Fell’s responsibility to see that everything in the Automotive program runs smoothly – not just the vehicles. He makes sure that everything is in its place in the on-site automotive shop, that equipment is up-to-date, and that students and faculty have everything they need. While he juggles a variety of responsibilities in his role, from marketing support to instructor coordination and program administration, it’s clear that his main focus remains on the students. “They’re my biggest priority,” he says, “learning and having a good time out there is what it’s all about.”
“ My favorite part is watching these students grow and learn. Watching people come in that may or may not know very much about cars at all learn the proper and professional way to do it. Watching them learn how to use tools, what different tools are for, because, you know, it’s not all hammers and screwdrivers. There’s proper ways to disassemble and reassemble these to prevent damage, to make it easier for you, the person working on it. Little tricks that I’ve picked up. To watch them learn all of this is amazing.”
On the Importance of Hands-On Learning for Automotive Techs
With the invaluable experience Fell gained early on in his family’s shop, he knows just how important it is for aspiring automotive professionals to have the space, equipment, and opportunity to learn in an active shop setting.
“ IntelliTec is a hands-on school, which is the way most of us learn. The car guys. We are hands-on.”
Fell is quick to emphasize the thoughtfulness and technical knowledge that goes into the hands-on training. It’s crucial to Fell that students understand the engineering theory behind how things work, as he says, “mechanically but with Mother Nature.” He stresses how well IntelliTec balances the mix of theory with practical application:
“I think that IntelliTec sets that up very well. We have the Electude Product* to learn off of and then we can go to the shop and apply that information on the cars and actually get our hands dirty working, fixing things.”
*The “Electude Product” is software that uses 3D gaming and simulation technology to help students learn in-demand skills through innovative, interactive e-learning.
On the Grand Junction Campus Automotive Shop
Fell wants every student who comes through the Grand Junction Automotive program to feel fully confident and completely prepared to transition to a professional position. He stresses how important it is that students in his program get the chance to learn in a real shop environment, using the tools and equipment they’ll encounter on the job.
“We’re equipped with lots of tools and equipment that these people are gonna see in a shop. I’ve had people that are not part of the school, from the field, have come in and looked at our program here and said, wow, this, this is better than where I work.”
On Changes in the Industry
Like most fields, advances in modern technology have rapidly changed the automotive industry. The average new vehicle has more computer tech than the first Apollo spacecraft. These advances have had an incredible impact on what it takes to diagnose a car. Fell shares that “in the olden days, diagnosing a car was fairly easy because they were simple and to a large degree they were all the same” In the course of his career so far, Fell has seen the transition from what he learned from his Dad about points and condenser to the time of complex emission controls and “computer cars” and even the emergence of autonomous vehicles.
On the IntelliTec Difference
The move from Parts Manager to educator didn’t come without some nerves for Fell. Having made a big life change himself helps him to relate to and empathize with students who come to IntelliTec looking for something new in their own futures. In addition to support from his family, Fell credits the team at IntelliTec for making it such a smooth transition for him. “I think that IntelliTec has a good program put together,” says Fell. He adds, “I like the way that we’re a family and we communicate with each other.”
“I will gladly wave IntelliTec’s flag over the other schools locally, in that we have a way better program. And I’ve heard that from other students and other teachers, which I think is really cool. I’m really, really proud to be part of this, because “second would not be where I want to be.”
I think it’s a great program, and they do a great job of giving us a base. We have great people, I feel like, in all the facets that I’ve met and talked to at least. It’s a great family to be in.”
Extra Bonus clips; hear more from Mr. Fell on
Hear Mr. Fell’s thoughts on seeing more women in the Automotive Industry
Hear Mr. Fell explain how IntelliTec’s Automotive Students balance working in the industry while They Complete Their Program
