Assabet Student Becomes State Vehicle Inspector

At just 18 years old, Nick Manning is one of the youngest State Vehicle 
Inspectors in Massachusetts, if not the youngest, and definitely the first Assabet 
Valley student to get the license while still a senior.
When he signed on for a coop job with Hopkinton Sunoco in the middle of his junior year at Assabet Valley, he knew his training from the Automotive Technology department was going to be put to the test. What he didn’t know is that Jerry Lazarro, his boss, had some additional plans for him.
“No, I don’t ever pump gas. We have a four bay garage and there is just myself, Mr. Lazarro, and one part time guy. I get to do anything and everything under the hood. Then he suggested I get my Massachusetts Vehicle Inspector License, in particular so that I could do the Saturday inspections when he’s not there. He paid for the training, which was two four and a half hour classes where they taught us everything to look for, how to test it, and how to tell the difference between the good and the bad things. I was the youngest in my class by far; most of the other guys appeared to be in their forties at least! The last hour was a fifty question written test. I will have to be recertified every two years with another test,” explained Manning. “I also got a pay increase now that I have the license.”
Manning is looking primarily at four year colleges to major in either Business or 
Economics.
“I’ve applied to Bryant, UMass Amherst, and the University of New Hampshire, but I’ve also considered Wyotech in Wyoming. I don’t want to be just a wrench guy; I want to continually better myself and move up in the world. I want to own my own business,” he adds.
Manning is in Honors classes at Assabet, is a State Scholar, a member of the Principal’s Leadership Team, and has played football and basketball for the school. He resides in Marlborough.