Kurt Knoll

Kurt Knoll relishes the unpredictability of his job. As an auto technician with a major vehicle dealership in Regina, he never knows exactly what he'll be working on next. But one thing is for sure: "I'm always problem solving and learning something new," he says.

That means keeping up with the latest technologies in a rapidly changing industry while drawing upon fundamentals he learned in SIAST's Automotive Service Technician. "You have to crawl before you can run. It's very important to learn the fundamentals first," he says. He points to transmissions as an example. "They're constantly evolving," he says. "In order to understand them, you need to know the basics because they're quite complicated."

While on the job, Kurt also keeps in mind a favourite carpenters' maxim: "Measure twice, cut once." In other words, always double-check your repair plan before proceeding. "I'd much rather spend an extra half hour to do a job than an extra four hours because I've had to take something apart again!" he says.