Meet Fix Auto USA intern and rising star Edgar Chavez Vega
Fix Auto USA's summer automotive intern was Edgar Chavez Vega who learned tips for eventually running his own body shop business.
Fix Auto Escondido’s newest rising star is Edgar Chavez Vega, who is a rising senior in high school.
Vega attends Del Lago Academy in Escondido, California, which introduces students to internship opportunities in the beginning of their junior year. When Fix Auto Escondido came to campus to interview prospective interns, Vega was drawn to the company immediately. The internship was his chance to gain valuable work experience and dig deeper into an emerging passion.
“I like cars, but I never really knew how to fix cars,” he said.
Vega nailed his interview with the franchise’s management and began the internship this past spring.
“I felt like a full-time employee myself,” Vega says. “I was a real part of the team.”
Vega excelled in customer service throughout his internship, while gaining experience in auto body work and detailing. Additionally, he got the chance to represent the franchise at the local Chamber of Commerce Open House, where he began to understand the value of networking to grow a business.
Now, Vega’s goal is to pursue a career with a Fix Auto USA franchisee and ultimately own his own auto body shop.
“I always wanted to own my own business, and when I interned with the Fix Auto franchise in Escondido, my boss [Kirk Henson, owner of Fix Auto Escondido] gave me some tips on how I can achieve this goal. He encouraged me to get a business degree first, and now that’s what I’d like to do after I graduate.”
Internship programs provide valuable experience to students like Edgar. They also introduce more young talent to the robust opportunities within the collision repair industry.
“We are big proponents of continuing education, as our industry is always evolving and we have to learn how to change alongside it,” said Kirk Henson, owner, Fix Auto Escondido. “Providing that important hands-on training early in their careers helps give young students the edge in an industry filled with potential and opportunity.”