Fayette County, Texas • 501(c)(3) Non-Profit
We bridge the gap between traditional secondary education and entrepreneurial training through the lens of classic car restoration. We aren't just fixing old vehicles — we're building the next generation of creators, technicians, and entrepreneurs.
Tach-Tech³ is an AP-level entrepreneurial program built on three equally important foundations. Students don't just learn a trade — they run a real venture with a literal stake in its success.
Students engage in rigorous, hands-on automotive restoration, mastering the mechanical technology required to revive classic vehicles to a level indistinguishable from a factory build — or better with a Resto-Mod. A direct pipeline to workforce development or technical college preparation.
Our students document every stage of the restoration process using advanced technologies — AI, videography, post-production, and social media marketing — to build a global audience and create brand equity for the vehicle before it even reaches the auction block.
We operate as an active business lab. Students form a non-profit company and manage the venture. They research the project, manage the project ledger, source parts, and market the build. They gain a literal stake in their success: a share of the profits when the finished vehicle crosses the auction block.
This is the antidote to "good enough." In a six-figure restoration, "good enough" is a failure. Mastery means understanding the underlying engineering, perfecting the metal fabrication, and relentlessly pursuing technical excellence from the smallest bolt to the final paint cut and buff.
The most critical word for an accident-free environment. We prioritize the RPM Moment (Relevant, Personal, Meaningful) to clear distractions. Students use Driver/Navigator teams to maintain extreme situational awareness of STCKY and STCHY hazards in real-time. Go slow to go fast.
Students aren't just learners — they are owners. If a bolt is left loose, they own the consequence. If the car "hammers" a six-figure value at auction, they own the triumph. Ownership eliminates the need for safety officers because when you own the outcome, you naturally follow the plan.
Operational Excellence Framework
Our standard is not compliance for its own sake — it is professional-grade perfection. The PPP (Plan for Purposeful Performance) ensures every action is deliberate, mapped, and executed flawlessly before execution begins.
We are making a purposeful pivot from traditional safety-focused programming. Our standard is Operational Excellence — shifting the mindset from following rules to achieving elite, professional-grade perfection.
Before lifting a wrench, students develop a PPP for every complex or potentially dangerous task. Every action is deliberate, mapped, and confirmed before execution. A checklist drives readiness.
We go slow to go fast. Every session begins with a Relevant, Personal, and Meaningful individual share. This short pause grounds the team and creates the focused mindset required for elite technical execution.
No one operates in a silo. Teams use a two member structure to ensure 360 degree situational awareness. The Driver is 100% focused on the immediate task, while the Navigator manages situational awareness. If the Navigator says "STOP," the Driver stops immediately — no questions asked.
Students are trained to identify STCKY (Stuff That Can Kill You — suspended loads, high voltage) and STCHY (Stuff That Can Hurt You — sharp metal, chemical solvents) hazards in real-time.
We treat incidents as learning opportunities. Scheduled Project Pauses review progress. All near-misses are reported immediately so the team can adapt and refine their PPPs. Reporting is an act of high integrity.
Empowering Youth
Every project cycle engages a 10-person student team. This structure ensures every participant has a specific professional stake in the project’s success.
Responsible for the overall project timeline and inter-departmental communication. Leads staff meetings and coordinates delegation with staff advisors.
Responsible for PPP protocols, training, recording incidents with after-action reviews, and making the restoration process accident and incident-free.
Manages the project budget. Handles part and material accounting, tracks "work-hours" for labor cost analysis, and calculates the "breakeven point" for the auction.
Heads research for historical correctness and identifies technological enhancements, making the restoration safer and improving performance while increasing market attractiveness.
The lead "shop foreman." Manages the workflow through all phases: disassembly, chassis, engine rebuild, paint and body, interiors, and assembly.
Responsible for quality audits and ensuring work exceeds industry standards before moving to the next phase. Also maintains the project schedule.
Guides digital media strategy and vehicle provenance, providing the owner with comprehensive evidence of the restoration process and vehicle history.
Responsible for marketing activity, including development of sponsor briefing materials and coordination to build pre-auction "hype" with followers.
Responsible for tool allocation, training qualifications, and tracking. Maintains all shop supplies including welding equipment, paint, and hardware.
Manages inventory of original parts during "tag and bag," orders new parts, and ensures components are ready for installation. Manages outsourced repairs.
Each 10-month cycle engages a 10-person student team committing 20 hours per month across instruction, hands-on restoration, business management, and media production.
Students ages 15–18 from across Fayette County apply, secure a community sponsor, and form the venture entity. Roles are assigned across restoration, business, and media functions.
Complete disassembly with every part bagged, tagged and cataloged. Students research vehicle history, source parts, and negotiate trade discounts with restoration parts suppliers.
Guided by subject-matter experts, students execute the full restoration while the media team documents every weld, bolt, and paint spray for a global audience.
Students attend auction — likely Barrett-Jackson or Mecum — promote the sale onsite, and share the vehicle's provenance. When the hammer falls, they share in the proceeds.
We are looking for motivated high school students from Fayette County, ages 15–18, to join our inaugural restoration team. This isn't a shop class — it's an entrepreneurial venture where you'll earn, learn, and take a real share of the profits. No prior mechanical experience is required—just a commitment to excellence.
Contact Sam Wilson · Sam@Tach-Tech3.org
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The Tach-Tech³ Foundation is built on community. We are seeking visionary donors, industry partners, subject-matter experts, and mentors to help launch this initiative in Fayette County.
We have $190,000 committed toward our startup goal and need an additional $56,000 by Summer 2026. Your financial contribution directly funds the facility, operational costs, and foundational resources required to open our doors to the first cohort.
We are seeking the donation of a classic American vehicle for our inaugural restoration. The selected vehicle must have the pedigree and potential to command a minimum auction value of $150,000 or more upon completion — a genuine six-figure build candidate.
We are establishing a state-of-the-art facility serving as both a high-end restoration shop and a modern business incubator. We actively seek professional-grade shop equipment, digital/media gear, and office furniture for the student administrative suite.
Invest directly in a student's future. Sponsors provide $2,000 over ten months to fund a student's vocational stipend, with monthly progress reports and brand recognition at auction events in return.
Forward-thinking employers who offer apprenticeship and hiring opportunities gain direct access to a pipeline of highly skilled, business-literate technicians ready to enter the workforce immediately.
Share your expertise as a volunteer SME instructor covering engines, welding, paint application, plasma cutting, electrical systems, accounting, digital media, and more. Make a lasting impact on the next generation.
Whether you are a potential student, a parent, a community sponsor, a donor, or a local business leader wanting to empower the next generation of trades professionals — we want to hear from you.
We are seeking a dynamic, multi-talented leader to serve as the face of Tach-Tech³ — responsible for restoration curriculum, automotive apprenticeship development, volunteer coordination, community engagement, fundraising, and financial management. ~$45K/year, on-site in Fayette County. Apply now → · Full posting below ↓
Fayette County, Texas | On-site/Hybrid
Tach-Tech3 is a unique non-profit dedicated to bridging the gap between passion and profession for rural high school youth. We are seeking a dynamic, multi-talented leader to serve as the face of the foundation—someone as comfortable behind a podium as they are helping students navigate a business plan.
Includes Health Insurance & Paid Time Off (PTO).
Submit your resume, cover letter, and creative portfolio samples (PDF or links) to Sam Wilson.
Apply via Email: Sam@Tach-Tech3.org