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At Albert E. Peacock Collegiate, the cranking of wrenches and the grit of sandpaper aren’t just the sounds of a class project — they’re the sound of students enjoying passionate hobbies, while gaining practical skills for life after graduation.
The school’s autobody program is thriving and enjoys wide support from the greater car community. Despite its enduring popularity among the students and staff, it may be the last high school shop of its kind left in Saskatchewan.
Autobody teacher Theran Bloudoff doesn’t just teach — he's also an active advocate to keep trade school programs like Peacock’s alive. He works with organizations like the Saskatchewan Association of Automotive Repairers (SAAR) to keep equipment up-to-date, secure grants and partnerships, and find other supports, all to train students in hands-on skills like welding, painting, frame diagnostics, and full-body restoration.
It’s a throwback in the best possible way — a trades program where students learn by doing, surrounded by half-finished classic cars and peers who’ve caught the same bug for bringing old machines back to life.
“We’re unique not just in Moose Jaw, but in the province,” Bloudoff said. “Autobody programs have been quietly shutting down in other schools due to cost, staffing, and space. We’ve managed to keep going because we’ve got the community behind us, and kids who genuinely want to be here.”
Bloudoff, who restored junkyard cars himself growing up, said the goal is simple: Get students into the trades early, and give them a reason to stay.
“When a kid comes in with a lot of energy and not a lot of skill, that’s great,” he said. “It means they’re excited. And if we can match that excitement with real skills, then we’re doing our job.”
Grade 12 student Amara Davidson is a standout example of what the program can produce. She’s heading to the Skills Canada national competition for the third year in a row, representing Saskatchewan in the autobody repair category — a field that includes welding, framework, and refinishing.
“I like seeing something that was once beautiful, then neglected, and making it nice again,” Davidson said. “Older trucks are my favourite. There’s just something satisfying about bringing them back.”
Davidson plans to study veterinary science at the University of Saskatchewan, but says her experience in the shop gave her confidence — not just in tools and techniques, but in how to collaborate.
“You learn communication, working with others, solving problems. Sometimes the biggest skill is just figuring out how to ask the right question,” she said.
Vice-principal Brad Raes sees that kind of learning as the whole point. “You see it in the pride the students take in their work,” he said. “They’re solving problems, setting goals, and they can see the results. That’s not something you get from a textbook.”
Raes notes that Peacock’s trades program goes far beyond autobody. Upstairs, students are learning sewing, cooking, and electronics. Downstairs, the mechanic and autobody sections share space with carpentry and welding.
There are at least 15 student vehicles in various stages of work at any one time.
“I find them all very interesting,” Raes said. “But we’ve got some in the autobody shop now that are the same that I restored when I was in high school — the C-10 — so those are always favourites of mine."
Another student vehicle is a 1974 Corvette being restored by Grade 12 student Nolan Novak. “I bought it out of Winnipeg last year and brought it straight here,” Novak said. “The hardest part of restoring it is that it’s had a few failed paint jobs in its history, so we had to scrape off, like, seven layers of paint — some of it was as thick as cardboard. And it’s a fibreglass body, so you have to do that by hand.”
Now in the primer stage, Novak’s goal is to have the car show-ready by summer. “It’s a great space,” he said of the shop. “There’s always something going on, and everyone helps out.”
Another senior, Brady Ross, 18, has been working on his own build since he was 13.
“We did a full frame-off restoration,” Ross said. “I saved up and bought a new engine, repainted it, redid the interior. It’s taken years.”
Ross, like Davidson, doesn’t plan to pursue autobody professionally — he’s going into welding — but the shop was by far his fondest high school memory, and he says the experience will stay with him. “It’s a great program. The teachers help a lot, and we’ve got fun energy in here. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to learn something real.”
Keeping the shop running isn’t cheap. Supplies, hoists, and materials come at a cost. But with SAAR’s help and donations from alumni — including a recent memorial hoist donation — the program continues to roll.
“The cost of these programs is high,” said Bloudoff, “but the reward is even higher. It’s not just about the trades — it’s about giving kids confidence, direction, and pride in what they’re capable of.”
As for what happens next, Bloudoff says the team is always looking for new partnerships to keep the program going. “We’ve got the drive, the students, and the tools. We just need the backing to keep it alive — not just for Peacock, but maybe one day to inspire more programs like this elsewhere.”