Students also had one-on-one time with professional technicians discussing career paths, apprenticeships and the realities of working in the field
Denver—Cherry Creek Innovation Campus (CCIC) students in Denver recently had the opportunity to collaborate with industry professionals during the inaugural EAS Tire & Auto Professional Technician Skills Competition, a first-of-its-kind event that celebrated technical excellence, teamwork and career-connected learning.
“We’re incredibly proud of our Denver team for partnering with the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus to host the very first Technician Skills Contest of its kind,” said Brian Bates, founder of EAS Tire and chief operating officer of Straightaway Tire & Auto, in a Linkedin post.
Hosted at CCIC in September, the event brought together 24 professional automotive technicians from 21 EAS Tire & Auto locations across Colorado and 20 CCIC student volunteers from the Maintenance & Light Repair (MLR) Pathway taught by Automotive Technology Instructor Brian Manley and CTE Automotive Services Teacher Kenneth Bowlus.
The competition was the result of months of planning between CCIC’s automotive faculty and EAS Tire & Auto’s leadership and technical training teams. Together, they designed a two-part competition that included both a written knowledge test and a hands-on skills challenge, assessing technicians’ expertise across diagnostics, repair, and real-world troubleshooting.
“Our students had a front-row seat to what excellence looks like in the industry,” said Manley. “They not only supported the competition but also had one-on-one time with professional technicians discussing career paths, apprenticeships, and the realities of working in the field.”
For CCIC students, the event was a demonstration of career-connected learning, providing exposure to the precision, professionalism and passion that define the automotive industry.
Student Impact and Industry Engagement
CCIC students in the Automotive Service Technician Pathway played an integral role throughout the event, assisting with setup, station management and judging components of the competition. They also helped run activities such as the NASCAR Tire Challenge, Spark Plug Race, and Drive Belt Replacement Challenge, designed to engage spectators and highlight automotive problem-solving under pressure.
“It was inspiring to see how much pride the technicians took in their work and how willing they were to share advice with us,” said one CCIC student volunteer. “It made me even more excited about pursuing a career in this field.”
Strengthening Pathways for the Future
Beyond the competition, the partnership between CCIC and EAS Tire & Auto opens the door to expanded shadowing and apprenticeship opportunities for Cherry Creek students across 21 EAS locations.
“Events like this highlight what makes Cherry Creek Innovation Campus unique,” said Steve Day, Principal of Cherry Creek Innovation Campus. “Our students don’t just learn about careers, they experience them firsthand by working alongside experts in the field.”
Comments are closed.