Sara Weissman
September 2, 2022
Coconino Community College freezes its automotive technology program after only a year because of an unsuccessful search for an instructor, an increasingly common plight for career and technical education fields.
A new automotive technology program at Coconino Community College, launched last fall, is on pause as campus leaders struggle to hire a full-time faculty member to keep it afloat.
Administrators say the lure of better-paying industry jobs coupled with the high cost of living in Flagstaff, Ariz., an increasingly popular tourist destination near the Grand Canyon, has repeatedly scared off faculty candidates for this position and others.
Nate Southerland, provost of Coconino Community College, said the college started the automotive technology program in response to local workforce needs. The college offered four automotive technology classes last fall and five courses in the spring, serving 46 students. A local Honda dealership let the program use its facilities at night.
