Chris James/Pioneer
Toney Brackett, professor of automotive service technology, instructs automotive management major, Alex Rutter in removing the condenser from a car’s air conditioner system on March 13. Rutter is a professor in the automotive department.

A new position has been filled this semester at OCCC in the Transportation Technology Center.

Toney Brackett, Automotive Service Technology professor, spent 17 years at Saturn of Oklahoma City as a technician before taking the position at OCCC this semester.

Brackett said he also taught at Chisholm Trail Technology Center for two years. Chisholm Trail is 13 miles east of Watonga, near Omega.

Coming from a very good General Motors background, Brackett “is going to be a great instructor,” said Department head Richard Steere. Steere said Bracket has experience in what he is teaching and knows what it takes to succeed in the automotive industry.

The position came open due to the previous instructor leaving to take a job at Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Steere said.

Brackett now works at the Transportation Technology Center on campus, instructing classes such as ASEP, the Automotive Service Education Program. In this particular program, students who want to work as a full-time technician at a General Motors dealership can take an eight-week course and spend four weeks at a dealership and four weeks in class getting the education they need to go into the technician field.

Students said they really enjoy having Brackett as their teacher.

Student Dominique Allen said what he likes most about Brackett is that he makes information clear. “Failure is not an option,” Allen said.

When asked if he enjoyed his new professor position, Brackett responded, “Absolutely.”

He said to him teaching is like the next step up from being a professional mechanic and he enjoys being able to communicate with his students.

Brackett said he hopes to be a great help in teaching them what they need to know in order to obtain jobs in their field, as well as be successful in this industry.

To contact Alise Squiric, email onlineeditor@occc.edu.