The Idaho Snowmobile Show returned to Boise, ID, this fall with the addition of the College of Western Idaho Powersports and Small Engine Repair Program.
The most common question at CWI booth for program instructors Jared Hemley and Jake Hampton was simply, “What is powersports and small engine repair?”
For those who might be curious, the CWI program might just be the best-kept secret in Southern Idaho. What is now the Powersports and Small Engine Repair Program at the Micron Education Center off Franklin Road in Nampa, ID, was initially started by Myrl Schroeder in Missoula, MT, in 1971. The next year, Schroeder moved to Boise, ID, to found a similar program at Boise State University (BSU). He would continue to instruct at BSU until 1980. From BSU’s Larry Selland College, the Powersports and Small Engine Repair Program transferred to College of Western Idaho in 2007, at the junior college’s inception.
Due to the long-standing history of the program, as well as facilitating education from original equipment (OE) manufacturers, who are continually updating and improving their products, CWI has been on the cutting edge of technician training.
This enables local industry partners to employ current and former students. These partners including Carl’s Cycle Sales, Grizzly Sports, Dennis Dillon Powersports, High Desert Harley Davidson, Snake River Yamaha, Canyon Honda, Mile High Powersport and Redline Recreation. The relationships and industry experience that program instructors Hemley and Hampton have assures that students interested in working in the industry can achieve successful placement.