Josh Daniel’s ag mechanics shop doesn’t have a classroom feel. It’s a work environment where kids hammer and saw and learn hands-on skills that will help them find trades careers — or just be more handy around the house. 

And now, even Daniel’s separate teaching room at the Broad River College and Career Academy in Danielsville feels more like a professional business setting than a high school classroom thanks to 15 new professional-grade workbenches purchased with a $38,937 grant from HireSmart Cares. 

It’s all about shifting the mindset from a career as something “down the road” to being in a job mindset right now. 

“Instead of walking into the classroom full of desks and chairs, students walk into a shop or into a workspace with work benches and stools, which is more what they’re going to find in an actual job,” said Daniel. “This gives them a step away from that traditional classroom. It shifts their mindset. And they walk in and they know, ‘Hey, we’re here to work. This leads to a future career that I can dive into.’” 

From Classroom to Workshop 

The workbenches also create a dedicated, clean space for engine work.  

“Anytime you work on any kind of engine, with a small engine or large engine, you want a clean room, because it’s all about cleanliness on that reassembly process,” said Daniel. 

Each workbench features a 30-by-60-inch workspace with multiple drawer systems designed for specific purposes. The top drawer stores bolts in sequence during engine disassembly, ensuring students can reverse the process during reassembly. The second drawer houses precision measuring tools including dial calipers, micrometers, telescopic gauges, and valve lappers. The third drawer tackles what Daniel calls “the mechanics teacher’s worst nightmare” — managing socket sets and ensuring tools don’t disappear, especially the notorious 10-millimeter sockets. 

Deep drawers below store larger parts like carburetors, air filters, and mufflers, while the bottom drawer can accommodate entire engine crankcases. 

“They’ve been super excited,” said Daniel about his students. “The kids actually helped put it (the workbenches) together. They just like opening up the drawers every time they come in. They want to look in the drawers. They want to see what’s going on in the tools. And they want to get in there and see what’s going on.” 

Real Skills, Real Demand 

The Broad River College and Career Academy offers one of the only agricultural mechanics programs in Georgia that includes power machinery instruction. Students work on four different engine types: two Briggs & Stratton engines, a Honda GCV engine, Yammer diesel engines, and John Deere Gator twin-cylinder engines. They also learn to operate zero-turn lawnmowers, standard-shift tractors, and — through a recent state grant — forklifts, skid steers, and mini excavators. 

Students learn to read repair manuals, order parts, and determine whether components are reusable or need reconditioning. These are skills that employers desperately need. 

“You drive around Madison County, and there’s four more diesel shops that have opened up in the last year, and they’re already slammed full. There’s enough demand for the workforce. We’ve got to get students equipped to do that,” said Daniel. 

Daniel can immediately think of three students pursuing automotive technician careers, including one with an internship through the school’s work-based learning program. 

Beyond Engine Work 

The workbenches’ impact extends beyond Daniel’s power machinery class. Another 45 students in his agricultural mechanics course use them for parts identification, and 120 total students in the program utilize the workspace throughout the year. Six basic agriculture classes also use the space for a week-and-a-half introduction to welding. 

Students use the workbenches for woodworking project layout, metal fabrication, and electrical wiring practice. 

Teaching Problem-Solving, Not Just Skills 

For Daniel, the workbenches are ultimately tools for teaching something more fundamental than technical skills. He wants students to develop critical thinking abilities that will serve them throughout their careers. 

“What I want kids to know is I want them to be able to problem solve,” said Daniel. “I want them to be able to troubleshoot, identify an issue, find a solution and implement that solution and analyze, did it work? Did it not? And if it didn’t, go back to the beginning of that process and go again.” 

He said employers need employees who can think independently and solve problems. 

“That’s what the workforce needs, right? They don’t need geniuses. They don’t need just a mindless workhorse. They need people who can think and problem solve. If students have that ability to problem solve, they’re going to be successful business owners in 10 years. They’re going to be the ones taking over the companies,” said Daniel. 

Daniel’s own teaching philosophy embraces continuous learning. Much of his mechanical training came through agricultural education programs, industry connections, and simply being willing to learn alongside his students. 

“A lot of my training has just been being a lifelong student and passing those experiences on to my kids,” said Daniel. “And sometimes I learn right alongside the kids, some of the things they bring in.” 

Investment in the Future 

HireSmart Cares, a Madison County-based nonprofit, focuses on workforce development initiatives that help youth develop skills for careers in agriculture and trades. The organization provides grants, scholarships, and funding for skill development programs throughout the region. 

The workbench investment reflects HireSmart’s belief that the right equipment helps students transition from learning concepts to mastering skills they’ll use throughout their careers. For Daniel’s students, professional-grade workbenches are the foundation for building futures in trades careers. 

To learn more about HireSmart Cares, visit hiresmartcares.org. Educators with innovative approaches to preparing students for industry-relevant skills can apply for a HireSmart Cares grant at hiresmartcares.org/ideas-application.