Despite some cold temperatures on October 25, the Access Road campus was host to over 500 students and their teachers from 23 area high schools for the annual Automotive Career Education Day. Guests were invited to participate in a variety of workshops and demonstrations showcasing the Automotive, Auto Body, and Marine Technology programs.
    The program featured several industry presentations, including speakers from BMW, Mercedes Benz, and Southworth Milton Inc. Charles Klasman from BMW and Ed Stanch from Mercedes Benz spoke to students about the employment needs of their companies. Southworth Milton Inc. representatives William Leary and Josh Gaynor discussed the skills and opportunities offered with their company.
   Seekonk Speedway representatives displayed cars and spoke to students about the skills and requirements necessary for racing at the speedway. In addition, NEIT instructor Dan Perry and members of the NEIT Pit Crew Club offered a presentation about their experiences at the Seekonk Speedway over the summer.
   Bill Poulin, Education and Training Coordinator for Rhode Island, represented Automotive Youth Education Systems and spoke to students about career opportunities in the automotive field. Additional Automotive Technology presentations included a tour of the lab, a presentation by NEIT instructor Michael Isabella on diagnostics and problem solving, and a presentation by instructor Norman Messinger about emission testing.
   Instructor Manuel Couto and NEIT students Nick Skinnard, Mike Paganelli, Holiden Justiniano, Serge Altenor, Ryan Dudley, Ryan Dempsey, and Tali Downs offered a tour of the Auto Body Technology lab along with presentations of the steps involved in the auto body process. High school students were invited to visit stations demonstrating replacement of a door skin, primer application, masking/covering techniques, paint application, and unibody pulling.
   Marine faculty member Ted Chamberlin provided a tour of the Marine Technology lab, and discussed skills and career options available. NEIT students offered diagnostic demonstrations on outboard engines. In addition, representatives from Conanicut Marine were available to speak to students about career opportunities.
   As in previous years, response from high school students and their teachers was overwhelmingly positive. The organizational skills of NEIT's Special Events Coordinator, Erin Flynn, along with the help of NEIT faculty and staff, made this year's Automotive Career Education Day an enormous success.