2 Shades Valley seniors get jump start on career with Brannon Honda work-study program

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - If you are dropping your car off to get work done at Brannon Honda, there is a chance express techs Balthazar Gonzales and Yahir Reyes may be the ones under the hood.

Gonzales and Reyes just graduated from Shades Valley High School. The students have been friends since middle school, and into automotive mechanics. So when the opportunity came to work at Brannon Honda during their junior year, they were immediately interested.

In exchange for their time, Gonzales and Reyes will have their education at Lawson State paid for up to three years.

Ben Brannon is the owner at Brannon Honda. He said the work-study program began as a way to build the dealership’s workforce.

“What this has done is it has allowed them an opportunity to come into the dealership, and help us maintain our customer base and help us out in service,” said Brannon.

The men have both thoroughly enjoyed getting hands-on and working in the garage over the past few years. They both have dreams of opening their own garage one day.

“It just makes me want what I want to do, more. It gives me more hope, and I just feel like it’s getting me closer to that end goal that I have,” said Gonzales.

“Make people happy as well. So to work on their cars, and see them happy,” said Reyes.

If you are interested in Brannon Honda’s work study program, you can reach staff here.

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