Devyn Burant’s first full year as the instructor of the Estevan Comprehensive School’s mechanics program has been an eventful one.
It has been marked by changes in what they teach and how they instruct the students. It appears the kids have gained a lot from those changes.
Burant graduated from post-secondary last April, and came to Estevan for the final two months of the 2017-18 school year. Then he had the summer to transition to living in Estevan, and has come to the realization that this is a dream job.
“Moving into the shop, I have been trying to revamp and redo the programming in order to fit the needs that kids have nowadays,” Burant told Lifestyles. “Most kids want to work on their own vehicles, and have less of actually sitting down and learning the bookwork of vehicle systems. It’s now actually servicing vehicles, with the bookwork there to support it.”
Outside of that shift, it’s been a smooth year.
In the mechanics program, they have two Grade 11 classes and one Grade 12 class that have a total of about 50 kids. There are also two autobody classes, instructed by Steven Froese, with about 20 kids in each.
Burant also had two Grade 10 classes and a Grade 11/12 class for mechanics in the fall semestre.
“There’s a lot of interest in the auto area here at the school. The biggest thing we’re trying to do is we’re trying to change the culture in the shops down here. The culture has turned from a ‘Let’s get it done’ type of mentality to a ‘That’s tomorrow’s job type mentality.’”
They’re trying to boost the kids’ work ethic and love of mechanics.
There’s also an auto club at the school that is for all students; they don’t have to be enrolled in mechanics or auto body repair. And the club is open to students in Grade 9.
“The auto club is the chance for our Grade 9 students who want to get involved in the shops and get involved in extracurricular to come down and have a place to come and actually learn how to work on a car, how to be in a shop, how to act safely in a shop and how to be part of a club.”
The club has been working on restoring a 1986 Dodge Ram with a 454 big block Chevy engine.
It’s a three-year or four-year project.
“This year we took the shell of the truck, completely disassembled it. We completely gutted the floor and the fire wall. We modified the engine brackets and the transmission brackets to fit this 7.4-litre V8 (engine) in where a 2.2-litre four-cylinder was, and have done all of the other mods just to get that to try to fit right.”
The truck was donated by the Estevan Kinsmen Club, while the engine and other accessories were donated as well. Dean Wilson from Dean and Daughters Repair Shop helped out with many of those needs.
The club is always looking for community members and partners to help with donating parts and used equipment for vehicles.
Students in the auto club get to pick what they want to work on, such as body work, engine construction, panels, welding and more.
The program also hosted the John Dyck Show and Shine and raised about $1,000 for the project fund.
They hope to have the 1986 Dodge on display at the car show next year, so that the public can see what club members are working on.
Burant expects to see more engagement from students in the shops, thanks to the programming he has planned for this summer. And further changes will be coming in the next couple of years.
