Today we’d like to introduce you to Dalphine and Terry Hogg.
Dalphine and Terry, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
In 1992 we started an automotive repair shop Hogg’s Automotive Service specialing Volvos. The only people we were hiring was ex-felons or dropouts, we would go and pick them up and bring to the shop to help with our daily operation in the shop, at the same time training them on how to work on cars and teach them life skills, talking to them about different life situations (problem) they were dealing with.
This went on for several years when one day, my husband Terry’s daughter told him, dad, you need to open up a school because what you are doing is training these guys how to become a mechanic and teaching them life lessons. We were going in the hole because most of our time was in life skills and training, so it disables us to do our shop operation because we were not able to work on the customer cars in a timely manner, it was time-consuming.
So, we did, approve by the Texas Workforce Career School and Colleges in 2004. We started a re-entry rehabilitation program before the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and Division of Pardon and Parole established a Re-entry Program. Mr. and Mrs. Hogg had a vision of opening Hogg’s Automotive Training Academy, Inc. a Community Base Organization as a proprietary post-secondary career school. It began with their personal desire to assist former felons, at-risk-youth with trade or skills in the automotive field teach them basic automotive skill in their business. Over ten years Mr. and Mrs. Hogg has taught these basic automotive skills to men and women in the Dallas community. They have made it their commitment to continue to do so, on a larger scale because as the formerly incarcerated and the dropout rate increases there is a need to help individuals know there is a better way to cope with life by giving them the tools to change their outlook on life in the automotive field(entry level position)to bring hope, create job and motivation into our community become productive citizen in our society.
In the automotive field, there are at least 25 we know they can get entry-level positions (auto tech. car mechanic, parts, design cars, dismantlers, rebuilt, upholstery, electrical tech. etc.) We offer Pre Apprentice Automotive Certificate Program short term 10-15 weeks hands-on training in Basic Automotive Air Condition and Heating, Basic Automotive Brakes, Suspension, Steering, Basic Automotive Electrical, Basic Automotive Engine Diagnostic, Basic Automotive Transmission along with Life Skill (cognitive behavior) Basic Computer, with the training the student get their own tools and storage unit to store their tools, uniforms, and shoe to be equipped to for the job market. Our Completion Rate 100% Employment Rate 93% and Placement Rate 86%. We still were repairing Volvos for customers, Mr.Terry Hogg was nominated for the Volvo for Life Awards 4th in 2006 and5th in 2007 for his community. We want people to know there is Hope!!!! They can succeed and become a productive citizen in our society. We also have a non-profit and a prison ministry we go into the prison to mentor and minister to the inmates.
Has it been a smooth road?
We look at the struggles more as areas of opportunity, we are needing more enrollment and we are grateful for the opportunity to be able to serve this population. The road is smoothing out as we partner with other organizations that do not know about our school and the word is getting out about our programs. There is a gap in the (haves and the have nots) the underserved population between youth who graduate from high school and have not decided on a career and/or do not desire to go to college. Lack of confident necessary for success as a college student. Reaching the at-risk youth to re-direct behavior, Non-violent ex-felons, veterans those electing not to attend college. Financial Aid not available. Mental health issues are not been treated.
There is a gap of the underserved population releasees from prison who can get assistance upon been released, with or without skill and can get a job,individuals without assistance need to get a job but cannot get a job because they do not have skills and are under pressure to pay fees and other obligation, these individuals do not have any support, so the system locks them up. There is a lack of confidence, Lack of resource necessary for success in our society. Homeless or lack of permanent housing, limited post-incarceration employment, and training opportunities. Chances of recidivism highest within four months of release. The growing size of formerly incarcerated individuals in Texas, Includes at-risk youth.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Hogg’s Automotive Training is an elite business that deals with all background race/ethnicities,at-risk youth, formerly incarcerated and the disadvantaged community changing individuals outlook on life by changing the way they think about life. We provide automotive training for all makes and model in the automotive field, specializing in Volvo repair. We target the population that is not your traditional individual who deals with life circumstance differently; they go down a different path before they realize they did help.
Hogg’s Automotive Training Academy is proud of the partnerships with Workforce Solutions Dallas, Workforce Centers in other Counties, Pleasant Grove Eastfield College, Automax Dealership and Mi Gente Dealership, Southwest Auto, Greenlight Auto Sales, Mayhall Auto Sales, Ramac Ind. and host of other partnership. Hogg’s Automotive Training known as HATA in the prison because we keep it real, our prison ministry, repair shop, know our Mr. Volvos know his Volvos repairs. The individuals who graduate and become employable and have not return to prison. What set us apart from others is the fact that we know it takes a village to help one another and we cannot do it all there is a gap between those wanting help and those not wanting help and we want to reach those wanting help. We reach out to the individuals cast aside by our society and/or lack hope.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Dallas is in restructuring, reorganization to build new outlook on this city. Because of this, I would recommend them to start with caution, because there is room for improvement in Dallas.
Dallas has some good people and businesses that are working together to make this city great!!!
Contact Info:
- Address: 935 S. Buckner Blvd Ste C Dallas, TX 75217
- Website: hoggsautomotivetraining.com
- Phone: 214-810-8289
- Email: hoggauto@sbcglobal.net
- Facebook: facebook.com/hoggauto
Image Credit:
Terry and Dalphine Hogg with Newspaper article; Terry and Dalphine Hogg at the Texas Prison Museum in Huntsville
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
