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Road To Great Technicians Needs Industry Buy-in
NASTF Press Release

OVERLAND PARK, KS (March 4, 2016) – “Building the Road to GREAT Technicians” was the featured topic of the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF) Spring 2016 General Meeting, Wednesday, March 2, 2016 in Overland Park, Kansas. “The automotive service industry has been very good to me, but I won’t recommend it to my daughters for their career,” said Kevin FitzPatrick, President of Autologic Diagnostics. “And it’s not because of the pay scale. It’s because it’s disorganized and doesn’t take advantage of the most talented kids that come to us.” On this topic Rob Morrell, Training Director for WORLDPAC moderated a series of presentations from experts…

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Career and Technical Education department hosts Open House

The Career and Technical Education Division of Rio Hondo had an open house on Feb. 27, where interested college and high school students attended to see what the division has to offer.

With millions of people joining the workforce or gaining higher education, it has been harder to discover what people want to do and how to achieve it.

The open house was from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and had several different sessions, displaying the programs the available programs, such as: Architecture, Landscape Architecture and GIS, Civil Design Technology and Engineering Design Drafting, Automotive Technology, Alternative Energy Technology/Electronics/Home auditing and a basic seminar on student success in the CTE.

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Must be a qualified California high school senior who plans to enroll in post-high school technical academia training, or a CA college undergraduate in the automotive service or mechanical engineering field.

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State legislators compete in automotive skills challenge

As part of Career Technical Education Day at the Arizona Capitol, Universal Technical Institute (NYSE: UTI) pitted members of the state House and Senate in an automotive skills challenge to showcase the hands-on skills needed by transportation technicians.

In Arizona, 52 percent of all job openings since 2010 have been in the middle-skills category, which requires more education than a high-school diploma but less than a bachelor’s degree, according to the National Middle Skills Coalition. Yet the market lacks qualified professional technical service workers to fill these vacancies.

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Local alumni master automotive and diesel

Visalia native Christian Sanchez and Steven Cortez from Tulare both recently graduated from the Sacramento Campus of Universal Technical Institute.

Sanchez attended El Diamante High School before completing the Automotive and Diesel Training programs at UTI. He received several Student of the Course honors, which are awarded to the student with the highest grade in a given course.

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California Community Colleges Chancellor Brice W. Harris’ Statement on Newly Proposed Community College Partnership Tax Credit

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California Community Colleges Chancellor Brice W. Harris issued the following statement on a proposed Community College Partnership Tax Credit, introduced today by the Department of Education:

“I enthusiastically applaud President Barack Obama’s administration for creating a tax credit plan that will simultaneously strengthen community college workforce programs and give students the training and skills they need to move into good-paying jobs,” said Harris. “The demand for skilled workers in California, and across the country, is constantly growing. This proposal is a victory for both employers and employees to help close the skills gap and fulfill local, regional and state labor market needs.” 

Under the proposed Community College Partnership Tax Credit, employers would bolster community college programs with contributions like equipment, curriculum designs and instructors. Once a student completes a qualifying program, employers would be eligible for a one-time, $5,000 tax credit for hiring them full-time. A total of $500 million in credits would be available for each of five years, from 2017 through 2021.

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Career Technical Month emphasizes careers, education in technical fields

Students in Will Bodner’s automotive general services class at Redlands High School were recently given an opportunity to see where a technical career pathway could lead.

Through Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education, students are encouraged to take the proper pathway to their desired careers. And for the auto shop students, this means possibly attending a technical or vocational school after high school.

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RHC Career and Technical Education Division hosting open house
The Rio Hondo Career and Technical Educational Division will be hosting an open house on Feb. 27 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m in the Tech Quad.

The CTE programs prepare students by providing them with the entry or advanced level knowledge and skills critical for successful employment. These career programs also offer an alternative route to acquiring career skills and furthering an educational experience.

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Education Matters: Cabot High School’s Auto Tech Program

CABOT, Ark. – From transmission replacements to an auto tuneup, Cabot High School students are getting hands on experience that’s rarely offered on campus.

The unusual classroom is helping students jumpstart their career in the automotive industry.

Bill McReynolds is the instructor who gives students all the parts and the tools to do the job.

“There’s lots of job opportunities,” he says.

It’s not your typical classroom, but a rare opportunity for Cabot High School students like Wade Ervin, who wants to be an engine performance technician.

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