image courtesy Hawaii CC

(BIVN) – Classic cars, lifted trucks, restored volkswagens, and race cars were on display at the Hawai‘i Community College’s Hilo campus on Saturday, part of the 2nd Annual Auto Body Repair and Painting Auto Show.

Organizers say the event drew more than 20 people looking to get an up-close look and talk to the owners of the vehicles.

The event was hosted by the Hawaii CC Auto Body Repair and Painting program, founded in 1966, which offers associate degrees and certificates. In addition to being a fun event, college officials say the car show is intended to spark interest among the next generation of automotive experts and to celebrate the alumni who graduated from Hawai‘i CC’s automotive trades programs.

“If it wasn’t for that program I wouldn’t be where I am today,” said Kelton Chang, an alumnus of the Hawai‘i CC Auto Body Repair and Painting Program, “so I encourage anybody who has even a small curiosity about the trades to step in and apply, you know you never know what can come out of it.”

There’s still time to enroll at Hawaii Community College for the fall 2018 semester, the college says. The application deadline is August 1. You can apply online at hawaii.hawaii.edu.