My name is Coby Stocks and I am studying Automotive Technology at Utah Valley University (UVU). My love for cars started early when I watched the Pixar film Cars. From car design to high-speed racing, I was hooked. My favorite scene in the movie featured the Tuner Cars —a group of speed racers that incite mischief in the film. I found myself fascinated with the tuning aspect of cars. While I found my love for cars early, it would be some time before I got my start with cars.

I was born and raised in Orem, Utah. Growing up, I was very outdoorsy. My family was big into skiing and as a result, I got into skiing at a young age. I also got involved in soccer early. During my senior year of high school, my parents got divorced. I moved to Herriman with my mom and siblings, while my dad moved to Salt Lake City. I attended the Real Salt Lake Academy but quickly discovered I did not love it. As soccer ended, I started to invest more into my passion for cars. A close friend of mine had a pretty built-out Subaru Forester XT, and I instantly fell in love with Subarus. I did not have much free time when I was younger, but at this point, I had the time, energy, and opportunities to fully explore the world of cars.

Soon after, I transferred to Riverton and, to my dismay, had a challenging time making friends and finding my place there. Finally, I made the decision to drop out and got my General Educational Development (GED) certificate.

After getting my GED, I began working at a motorcycle shop in Draper, Utah, and I was content with the work I was doing. I was focused on getting industry experience, and I had no plans of going back to school. However, my mom inspired me to continue my education. We had long conversations talking about the doors that education would open, and that the decision would only benefit me overall. It took some time, but I concluded that furthering my education was what I wanted for my path. Knowing UVU has a great automotive program, it was always at the top of the college choices I had. I enrolled and have not regretted my decision since.

One of my favorite experiences at UVU has been being a member of the Bombshell Betty Drag Racing Team. The “Bombshell Betty” team is an interdisciplinary project that has students, faculty, and workforce professionals collaborating to re-engineer a 1952 Buick, donated by Don Cash Sr., with the goal of racing it at 200 miles per hour. Last August, the team took the car out for a speed test at the Bonneville Salt Flats during the World of Speed, an annual motorsport racing event. It was amazing to be on the salt and work on the car with the whole team. While we were there, we also got to see a handful of land-speed record holding cars.

Another aspect that has made my time at UVU memorable is my relationships with my professors. Todd Low, Jeff Holm, and Chet Milburn are a few teachers who I have created close relationships with — I consider them to be my friends. The teachers in Sparks Automotive create an environment where students view professors as friends, which is more of a positive learning environment. The teachers are there for you as a student and as an individual.

With the introduction of electric cars into the mainstream market, the automotive industry’s landscape is rapidly changing from year to year. This shift will be one of the greatest obstacles that my generation of automotive mechanics will face. UVU is preparing us for these significant industry changes. They will begin to offer an electric motors course starting in the fall and more industry-reflective courses to follow. While so much is changing, UVU does an excellent job keeping its students working with the latest technology.

I originally planned to come to school for two years for my associate degree, but after seeing the way education can help the next steps of my career, I will be staying at UVU to obtain my bachelor’s degree. Right now, I’m working odd jobs, such as wrapping cars, oil work, and slinging tires. After I get my degree, I want to start working in the performance side of the industry — modifying cars to make them perform better. Also in my career plan, I would like to open a car shop with some friends. Doing what I love surrounded by those I am close with would be a great work environment for me.

Continuing my education has bolstered my confidence and helped me narrow my career path. Between obtaining my GED and starting at UVU, everything I did felt like it was done on a whim. I did not feel like I was validating myself with the work I was doing. However, after a few semesters at UVU, I built confidence in who I am as a student and as a person. I’m happy because everything that was up in the air before I started school feels like it is all coming together through my education. My message to those who relate to my situation is don’t get caught in the “what if’s?” Trust your gut and go for it.