Eastern Alumnus Spotlight — Joe Washington

Eastern Center for Arts and Technology 2008 Collision Repair Technology and Abington High School graduate Joe Washington has always been interested in cars, however he did not necessarily want to be a mechanic.

He was interested in the aesthetics of vehicles — that includes dent removal and painting. When he was in eighth grade, he attended Eastern Center for Arts and Technology’s automotive and collision repair summer fun program for middle school students. It was during “Summer Fun” that Washington decided that he would attend Eastern for collision repair technology in 11^th and 12^th grades.

He graduated from Abington and Eastern in 2008 and is currently employed as a collision repair specialist at Syrena Collision Center, Inc. in Montgomeryville. Syrena Collision Center spans 12,000 square feet and consists of two down-draft paint booths, two Chief EZ Liner frame correction machines and four paint prep stations. Prior to Syrena Collision Center, Washington was employed at Sussman Honda in Willow Grove.

At Eastern, Washington was an A student and a leader in his class.

“This year I came back to Eastern to speak with the students,” Washington said. “My best advice to them is to pay attention and work hard in this program. If you do, you will learn everything you need to know in order secure a good job in this field. In the collision repair industry you will start off on small projects, but you always have the opportunity to work your way up.”

Students in Eastern’s collision repair technology program benefit from a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on experience. Students learn by using the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) enhanced curriculum.

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Information courtesy of Eastern Center for Arts and Technology