Dragster races to the front of the classroom.
Then: His dad taught him self-reliance and independence at an early age. Nathan Dial said the two of them worked on go-karts and lawnmowers before his dad started teaching him about cars. When Dial was 14 years old, he built his own dragster. After that, he was hooked.
Dial received his formal automotive training at Pontotoc Technology Center, taking classes while working at a car dealership. He said he had barely started his coursework at the tech center when he decided he wanted to teach there. He carried out that dream nearly two decades later.
A 2000 graduate of PTC, Dial continued his education at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology’s GM automotive program in Okmulgee. He was the youngest person in Oklahoma to receive the prestigious GM World Class certification.
After college, he began building his automotive shop while he taught small engine repair at Latta Schools. After 11 years in the public school classroom, Dial saw the opening he’d been waiting for – his perfect job.
He signed on as an automotive instructor at PTC about 18 years after he enrolled as a student there. He said the job is all about the opportunity to make a difference.
“I get to invest in the lives of our students in such a way that it probably changes the paths of their families for generations,” he said.
NOW: Dial’s students aren’t the only auto workers he oversees. He and his wife own Double D Automotive near Ada, Oklahoma, and manage a staff of six.
Dial said he enjoys building cars, but he enjoys building futures even more.
“I’ve had students who never even thought about going to college receive a $50,000 scholarship through our Hot Rodders program,” he said.
"I get to see their lives changed forever when they pursue fulfilling careers that happen to pay very well."
Nathan Dial, auto instructor and shop owner
