About two dozen local students got an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the automotive world Saturday morning during a hands-on experience at Nissan’s Technical Center south of Maricopa.

The “Next Gen Driver Experience” invited 25 students from Desert Sunrise High School and their guardians for a few hours of site tours, safety demonstrations, ride-alongs and test driving. A second group from Maricopa High School attended in the afternoon.

The event is part of Nissan’s effort to connect local students with potential career paths in the automotive industry, a first for the testing center.

“We wanted to invite the schools to come out … and see everything behind the scenes,” said Senior Engineer Dusty Pierson. “High school age kids 16 to 19 … and their parents get a chance to come out on a Saturday and see the proving grounds.”

At the facility, engineers test vehicles in extreme conditions, from high-heat to off-road performance.

Marketability technician Santiago Hernandez said the goal was to broaden students’ understanding of the industry.

“They are getting ready to graduate, go to college. We want to show them there’s so many different career paths that you can take, and this is a part of the automotive world that a lot of people don’t get to see,” he told InMaricopa. “So, we want to inspire these kids that this is in their backyard.”

“My dad got me into cars. I’ve always grown up around cars and messing with them, so I’ve always been interested in them,” he said. “I like fast cars a lot.”

He wants to eventually work as a technician, but his favorite part of the day was riding with professional drivers during a drifting demonstration.

“I was really excited about the drifting,” he said. “At first, I was a little nervous because I thought I was gonna flip over, but as we went through the track, I was pretty happy because it was fast.”

His dad, also named Alex Floore, said he enjoyed sharing the experience.

“It’s just cool being here with him,” he said. “We loved it.”

That was the best part for technicians and engineers, like Hernandez.

“So far, I’ve seen nothing but smiles,” he said.