ProAuto Throws Us an After Hours Party!
- John Santiago
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
When industry understands that today more than ever kids need a real invitation to the skilled trades, they step up in a big way. That’s what Lee Hardegree did with his shop and his time.
Lee opened the doors to ProAuto in Morton Grove, IL after shutting down his regular business for the night. The pizza order went in and the wrenches came out!
INTRODUCTION TO A TRADE
This was no sit-and-watch tour. The kids got to see what professional auto repair looks like by doing it with guidance from people who know the trade.
They put their hands on pro-level tools, learned tricks of the trade, and asked questions, all while doing this on their own cars.
Learning in the place where the work actually gets done is one of the best introductions to the industry our kids could get.
Lee helped break down what he and his technicians do before they ever replace a part - and did we have some parts to replace!
Adam:
Front Brake Pads
Rotors & Ignition Coils/Spark Plugs (Subaru BRZ)
George:
Transmission Filter
Intake Tube Repair (Toyota 4Runner)
Milo:
Rear Brake Pads
Rotors (Ford Focus)
Khalyd:
Emotional Support
Wrench Runner
Jano:
Long Hair
Out-of-Focus Pictures
One of the biggest lessons of the night was that a professional diagnostic procedure follows evidence and requires careful thought. It does not start with a wild guess or a parts list.
A scan tool can point you in a direction, but it does not replace the value of your own thinking. When you LEARN a skilled trade, you bring to the table something of value, a value built through your hands-on EDUCATION.
That lesson matters and Lee made sure the kids didn’t miss it:
“You can learn this. There’s a community that’s looking forward to helping you join it.”
- Lee Hardegree (by deeds and action)
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