by Carly Dick
The Paducah Sun
December 20, 2024
Used with permission.
Devin Moore, a senior at McCracken County High School, has always had a love for cars, prompting him to pursue a career in automotive technology after high school.
Moore is this week’s Associated General Contractors of Western Kentucky Technical Centers Student of the Week.
Growing up around cars, trucks, and bikes, Moore developed a love for mechanics early in life.
“It’s really just natural for me. I grew up around it so much to the point where it’s normal for me to go out in the garage and mess around with stuff,” he said. “ For me, it’s more like a lifestyle, rather than just something that I’m able to do. So, pretty much it just came natural to me.”
Moore said he was able to build on his self-taught mechanic skills when he started taking classes at the Paducah Area Technology Center.
“Being able to go to this tech center, or trade school, and go so much more in depth and actually be taught in using programs is a different way of being taught, rather than just doing it growing up,” he said. “Being able to actually use shop equipment, being able to use the list and all that, it’s a different experience, and you can learn, I feel like, a lot more.”
Moore was able to practice his auto tech skills in a real work setting when he co-oped at B A’s Automotive Services.
“It’s a body shop/mechanic shop, but mainly body. Whenever he had cars to work on, I’d be the guy to do it,” he explained.
Moore said working at the company prepared him for a career in auto tech after high school.
“I have the experience of actually working and being in a shop and going through the protocol, like pulling a vehicle in and diagnosing it, and then fixing it, working on it,” he said.
Moore is currently working to narrow down what position he wants to work in within automotive technology after graduation.
“I’ve been kind of working to see, because there’s all kinds of different positions, shop spots that you could be in. I’m just working towards to pick the one and stick with it,” he said.
So far, Moore has completed six out of 10 of the Automotive Service Excellence certifications. He plans to complete the remainder of the certifications this school year.
When he is not at school or work, Moore enjoys working on dirt bikes and trucks in his garage.
“I enjoy buying and fixing them up to sell. My first truck is a 1990 Chevy truck. It was in pretty rough shape,” he said. “The engine went out, so we had to replace it. We also put a lowering kit on it and some new wheels. I now drive this truck every day and learned more from working on it than I would have any other way.”