Originally Posted February 2026 The Lee Johnson Auto Family motto is Putting People First - our employees, our community, and, of course, our customers. Part of living that motto means supporting and training our staff to be the very best they can be and guiding them on a path to success. One way Speedway Chevrolet proudly puts people first is through the General Motors Automotive Service Educational Program (ASEP), provided through Shoreline Community College. This program gives students hands-on experience in the maintenance and repair of all General Motors vehicles while teaching the fundamentals of automotive service - and it’s a program we’ve partnered with for over 20 years! Right now, we’re proud to host two apprentices: Tito and Ariel. Ariel started in the ASEP program, and program manager Scott immediately recognized her incredible potential and passion for Chevys, knowing she would be a perfect fit for the Speedway Chevrolet shop. Ariel owns her own personal fleet of Chevys, which inspired her to pursue a career as a technician. As she puts it, “If I’m going to have all of these cars, I might as well learn how to work on them!” What Ariel finds most interesting about the program is the opportunity to learn and grow - she places a high value on education and has already gained much more confidence working on her own vehicles. “The most rewarding part of the apprenticeship so far is feeling more confident in myself and my abilities. I feel like I’ve grown a lot as a person.” Looking to the future, Ariel says that in the next 5–10 years she sees herself becoming more independent in her work, still at Speedway Chevrolet. She looks up to technician Milo in the shop, saying, “He has been super successful in his career and is so proficient at his job. He can handle anything thrown at him. I hope to have that type of responsibility in the future.” Tito attended the Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center program while he was in high school and was inspired there to pursue a career in the automotive industry. “I actually had no interest in cars when I was younger, and I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Once I got the opportunity to do Sno-Isle, I decided to try something different that I had never thought about before and joined the auto technician program. I found a lot of interest and fun in it.” For Tito, the most interesting and rewarding parts of the apprenticeship have been the learning experience—especially gaining a deeper understanding of how vehicles work and applying that knowledge to his own car. “I find the most rewarding part of the apprenticeship to be just getting the job done, getting to look back and feel a real sense of accomplishment.” Our apprentices also have advice for anyone considering becoming a technician. Ariel says, “Do it—even if you’re just a little bit interested in cars and think you might want to work on them. You learn so much about everything: working with people and improving your people skills, not just mechanical skills. But it’s hard work, and it’s not easy!” Tito adds, “Don’t act like you know everything because there is so much to learn. Even if you do know a lot, there’s always more to learn.” Our apprenticeship program is a remarkable opportunity for anyone looking to launch or advance their career in the automotive industry while ensuring our technicians receive the most enriching education possible to best serve our customers. With comprehensive training, real-world experience, and the support of a dedicated team, apprentices are well-equipped to succeed in their careers and to become trusted professionals in servicing your vehicle. We strive to be proficient, trusted, efficient, and successful in taking care of both our customers and their vehicles.