Newgate School celebrates 50 years

As Hussein Taha buffs the side of a car in a large, clean and bright auto shop, he reflects on his journey thus far.

“When I came here, I just tried to search and find a place that I could learn stuff like this because I like doing handy stuff,” Taha shared with the Northeaster.

That place he’s talking about is the Newgate School, a tuition-free vocational school in Northeast Minneapolis where students are taught autobody repair and mechanics. The students work on donated vehicles, fixing them up before selling them back to the public. Once students complete the program, the Newgate School helps them find opportunities in the workforce.

“The instructors — they’re trying to teach us everything, and you are allowed to make mistakes here,” Taha said, who is now 5 months into the program. Mistakes are corrected before the vehicles are sold.

Newgate School’s instructors are professional autobody mechanics, each with their own specialties, and they have adapted to teaching students of a wide array of skill levels. Students credit the instructors for a positive experience.

“No matter where you start — you could know nothing or you could know a lot of things — but you still have a lot to learn,” student Javier Morocho said. He is four months into the program. “So they integrate you the best way possible.”

As rare as tuition-free schooling is, the concept for Newgate School is by no means new. The school, located off East Hennepin Avenue in Northeast, celebrated its 50th year of operations this month. The school officially launched on August 4, 1975; a festival to celebrate the milestone was held on Saturday, Aug. 2.

According to the school’s Associate Director, Tyla Pream, Newgate primarily admits underserved populations, aged 19 to 35, who are looking to make a career in automotives. She also says there are instances where students enter the workforce via smaller auto shops in Northeast.

“A lot of times, they’re not successful in traditional school settings. Since everything here is hands-on, it makes it a lot easier for them to be successful,” Pream said.

According to Pream, there are currently two auto body instructors and one mechanic instructor. The school is hoping to hire an additional mechanic instructor. The school typically has 24 students — 12 training as a mechanic on a 12-to-14 month program timeline, and 12 training in auto body for up to 18 months. 

Pream adds that they currently have around a 2-year wait list with growing demand. Among other things, Pream cites the school’s consistent enrollment and demand to rising costs of higher education as well as the growing need for automotive mechanics. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 68,000 openings for automotive service technicians and mechanics are projected each year, on average, over the decade nationwide. The bureau cites the openings to those who change jobs or retire.

“We’re seeing this shift now where it’s not necessarily so much a focus on a four-year college or that degree,” Pream said. “But the trade schools are getting kind of — they’re getting their flowers now.”

Aside from refurbishing and selling the vehicles, the Newgate School also helps the community through their Wheels for Women program, where donated vehicles are inspected, refurbished and then donated to working single moms. To date, they have given nearly $2 million dollars’ worth of vehicles to working mothers in and around the Twin Cities, according to the school’s website.

As for the students, their takeaways from the program go beyond landing a job.

“You’ll fail multiple times, but it’s about listening to others. Humble yourself, not thinking you know everything. Learn from others,” Morocho shared.

“The first step you will fail, maybe. But if you try again, for sure you will learn a lot,” said Taha.

To learn more about the Newgate School, and for information on how to donate a vehicle, visit their website: https://www.newgateschool.org/.