# Driven to succeed: South Bay students earn internships at Tesla > Source: > Published: 2026-06-14 14:32:57+00:00 **Getting your** [Trinity Audio](//trinityaudio.ai)player ready...Campbell Union High School District student Demetri Vega Candelaria is on the road to a career in electric vehicle service, thanks to a program offered by San Jose’s Metropolitan Education District, aka MetroED. Vega Candelaria is one of four students from the Electrical Vehicles/Automotive Services program, offered under the auspices of MetroED’s Silicon Valley Career Technical Education (SVCTE), who has been accepted into Tesla’s Pathway to START Internship Program. The eight-week electric vehicle service training program is designed to introduce participants to careers in the automotive industry while building fundamental mechanical and electrical skills. Students who successfully complete the internship may advance to Tesla’s START Program, a 16-week advanced technical training course. Upon successful completion of both programs, gradates become eligible for full-time employment opportunities with Tesla. Vega Candelaria credits his coursework at SVCTE with helping him gain the confidence and technical knowledge to pursue a career in the industry. “SVCTE has helped me stay organized and productive,” he said in a release. “I’ve also gained career readiness skills and hands-on experience with tools. Before, I didn’t know much about certain parts, but being here helped me build a strong foundation.” Another student accepted into Tesla’s internship program enrolled at SVCTE after a career in customer service. Benjamin Bulygo, 45, had practical reasons for the move. “I am currently homeless and living out of my car, “Bulygo said. “My car is the most important thing I have right now, and I realized I needed to learn how to take care of it.” Despite those challenges, Bulygo continues to attend classes while working to cover the nearly $10,000 annual tuition required for adult students attending SVCTE. With support from a $5,000 scholarship from the MetroED Foundation, Bulygo was able to pay for his first semester. He hopes his experience at Tesla will lead to a long-term career. “I’m excited to see if this can become a place where I can build a long-term career and grow,” said Bulygo. “Hopefully, I can get my foot in the door at Tesla fulltime and see where the opportunity takes me.” Cristina Zamora Ramirez and Steven Hernandez, both from San Jose’s East Side Union High School District, are also SVCTE students who were accepted into Tesla’s internship program. “SVCTE has shown me a lot of different opportunities I can explore,” said Zamora Ramirez. “Tesla stood out to me the most, and the course also introduced me to different college pathways I can pursue.” Since the Electrical Vehicles/Automotive Services course [launched in 2023](https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/10/29/new-programs-give-santa-clara-county-teens-healthy-career-options/), students have earned more than 4,500 industry-recognized certificates and training credentials through partnerships with leading automotive manufacturers. The course also offers dual enrollment opportunities with Evergreen Valley College, allowing students to earn 1.5 college credits while gaining hands-on experience and preparing for careers in the automotive field. Teacher Tom Nemeth said industry certifications, internships and employer partnerships are critical because they provide students with direct access to the same training and experiences available to professional technicians. “The automotive industry certifications are the exact ones offered to dealership technicians,” Nemeth added. . “As students gain greater academic, social and technical skills, the opportunities become more visible, achievable and therefore, successful.”