For as long as Nathan Schroeder can remember, he has always been obsessed with cars.
After earning an Associate in Applied Science in Automotive Service at Mesa Community College (MCC), he received an offer to pursue his dream career as a technician at the Nissan Technical Center North America–Arizona (NTCNA–AZ).
“It was seamless going from Mesa Community College into my career,” said Schroeder. “The class structure was great because you learned the fundamentals in the online learning portion but then you would arrive at school the next day to apply what you learned on actual cars in the automotive lab. It was very hands-on.”
Schroeder credits MCC instructors including Bryce Bond, Steve Skroch, Steve Julius, and Mike Betta for creating a supportive learning environment and helping him build the skills needed for his current role.
“Mike Betta previously worked at the Nissan Proving Grounds where I work now and referred me and another student in my class, Brandon Weber, to Nissan when roles opened up,” Schroeder said. “He was so impactful in helping us with our careers.”
In his current role at NTCNA–AZ, Schroeder tests automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, lane assistance and adaptive cruise control. Some days he might test a prototype Nissan model that won't be released for three or four years. The vehicle arrives from Japan covered in black-and-white camouflage and Schroeder outfits it with computers, sensors and, in some cases, robotic steering and pedal controls. He will then spend days collecting data that helps engineers refine advanced driver assistance systems to ensure the car is safe for customers.
“Every day is different,” Schroeder said. “We'll have a dummy walk in front of the car, and the vehicle we’re testing will slam on its brakes. We collect data from hundreds of test runs and send the information to Nissan’s engineers. Sometimes we'll receive updated software the next day to test again. We're testing systems that help make driving safer, and it's exciting to know that the work we're doing today will be in vehicles people drive in the future.”
Looking ahead, Schroeder envisions a long-term career at Nissan, inspired by colleagues and mentors who have been with the company for 20+ years. He hopes to continue growing with Nissan, advancing through the company's technician ranks and potentially returning to school to pursue an engineering degree.