Brenden Smiley, a former Marine, is learning to be a service technician at Krapohl Ford & Lincoln while he pursues a degree at Mid Michigan College.
Service trainee overcomes hardships, envisions bright future
Brenden Smiley doesn’t just work on cars — they have given him a new outlook on life.
Brenden, 32, joined the U.S. Marines after high school, leaving his hometown of Detroit to travel to Okinawa, Japan, where he completed basic training and remained stationed for two years. He then spent five years stationed in California before being discharged from the military.
While with the Marines, Brenden specialized in logistics. After leaving the service, however, he struggled to find his way in life. An interest in cars — particularly fast cars — gave him a path he didn’t know even existed.
He began working for a shop in California selling and servicing vehicles, without any formal training. He said for many years he tried to find a career path that was right for him.
“I worked more than 25 different types of jobs, but never found a place where I wanted to be,” he said.
After meeting his girlfriend and moving to Beaverton, Michigan, he enrolled in Mid Michigan College’s Automotive and Diesel Service program. After gaining critical hands-on experience at Mid, he was connected with Krapohl Ford & Lincoln and assigned a service technician as a mentor. He joined the service team in August 2021, has since completed his internship and continues his training.
Brenden is three classes away from earning his associate degree.
“As a kid, my dad was always working on cars, but he would never let me touch them,” Brenden recalls with a laugh. “Now, I like working on cars, and I learn something new every day at Krapohl. Teamwork is a big thing here.”
Brenden, also a trained mixed martial arts fighter, is excited about his future as a mechanic.
“I have goals, and I’m saving money to build a house,” he said. “I’m happy, and the future is bright.”
Note: If you want to talk shop with Brenden, ask him about turbos. They’re his favorite.
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