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Transportation 2000Posted 6/15/2000By Rachael J. Mercer
Earl Creekmore, owner of Four Star Import Automotive, an ASA member business in Tulsa, Okla., remembers one of his first experiences with an apprentice student as part of the Transportation 2000 program. "It was recommended that we not let [the students], as inexperienced drivers, move vehicles. Of course, one of the participating shops called almost immediately with a report of a $1,000 boo-boo by their apprentice," Creekmore says. "As I was consoling him, my shop foreman came into my office to inform me of the unexpected coupling of two of our customers' cars. One was driven by my apprentice. Then the other shop owner had to console me. I guess misery loves company." However costly, risks like these are some that shop owners and managers are willing to take to train young students and improve the future of the automotive industry through the Transportation 2000 program. As a joint project between Tulsa Technology Center (TTC) and the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce, Transportation 2000 was developed by John Bernardine in 1994. The first class of students started the program in 1995, and since that time nearly 120 students have successfully enrolled and graduated. "Every shop - both at the local or national level - has the same problem of attracting young people into our industry and finding qualified help." said Bernardine. "The local Automotive Service Association (ASA) chapters at that time began meeting with the TTC staff and administrators to address the issues. From these meetings, Transportation 2000 was created." Shop owners like Bernardine and Creekmore agree to be a mentor to a high school student who might be interested in a career in the automotive industry. For two years the shop owners have interaction with the students, especially during the summer, when the students work 360 hours in the mentor's shop. But shop owners are not the only people instrumental to the success of the Transportation 2000 program. Through the automotive careers program sponsored by Tulsa area public schools, students from at least 17 high schools send applications to the Tulsa Technology Center and Transportation 2000. Bernardine prepares two or three presentations for students in five schools each year, encouraging those who are interested in a career in automotive repair to make the effort and apply to Transportation 2000. In addition, the school system maintains a general automotive program as part of its curriculum. During the summer after the student's sophomore year, the school system initiates a 5,000-piece mail campaign that informs incoming juniors of their opportunities in the automotive careers program at the school as well as at TTC. Bernardine explains that each year, the TTC receives between 200 and 300 applications for the automotive program. TTC selects 80 students to attend the automotive program, and from those, only 20 are selected for Transportation 2000. As a junior in high school, students begin the program by attending their home high school for half a day, and the TTC automotive program for half a day. At the end of the junior year, students take a 360-hour apprenticeship during the summer. The students are paid for their work, and a member of each sponsor company (the shop owner, manager or another employee) oversees each student and works closely with him or her in a mentor relationship. During the senior year of high school, the student re-enters the half- day schedule at both high school and TTC, and following high school graduation in the spring, the student returns to the same sponsor shop for a second 360-hour internship. On average, returning students are paid more for their second internship than for their first, and once the requirements of the Transportation 2000 program have been met, the students graduate from the program in August. "About 25 percent will go on to seek post-secondary training," said Bernardine, "but I believe about 50 percent are being offered full-time positions with the sponsor shops." Creekmore encourages the technical students he mentors to continue their education. "Of the four students that have come through my shop, all but one has graduated with a post-secondary degree and are now employed full time," Creekmore says. "One is still a student. I strongly urge all my students to go to Oklahoma State University Ocmulgee (a branch of OSU) to further their technical training." To encourage further education, TTC is developing a plan with Oklahoma State University to implement a full associate degree program for technical and automotive students. While the goal of Transportation 2000 is to train quality technicians and to improve the future of the automotive industry, it has also brought about big changes in automotive education at TTC. "The Board of Education at TTC looked at the automotive program as a whole," says Bernardine. "We revamped it and got it into compliance with ASE standards. Now it's state of the art." The efforts by the Transportation 2000 executive and advisory boards, along with those of the TTC Board of Education, have paid off. In 1997 the TTC automotive program received the first place award for excellence in automotive training for secondary schools from the American Automotive Manufacturer's Association. Along with the recognition from the association came a trophy, a $10,000 award and $10,000 worth of Snap-on tools. Since the program's implementation, more than 50 businesses have participated in the program - as both mentor shops or as sponsors. Several ASA mechanical and collision member businesses are participating mentor shops. These shops are learning that, as Creekmore says, "Transportation 2000 gives shop owners the freedom to grow your own technicians." Auda Martin, whose husband, Karoll Martin, owns Karoll Martin Paint & Body Shop, commented on the "grow your own" success their shop has enjoyed. "We usually have one student at a time in an internship, but of the two young men I can remember, both have come back to work for us," says Martin. Both Bernardine and Creekmore encourage other businesses to start a program like Transportation 2000 in their cities. Creekmore urges shop owners to ask the following questions when determining a need for an automotive apprenticeship program. First, do you have a need for a technician? Second, do you think you will ever expand your business? Third, do you think one or more of your technicians will leave your business in the future? And finally, have you ever complained about the bad habits of your technicians? If, as a shop owner, you answered "yes" to even one of those questions, Creekmore advises that you look into developing a program similar to Transportation 2000 in your town. He says, "Virtually every metropolitan area can have the same type of program, "Creekmore said. "All it takes is a willing technical school and business owners in need of technicians." The rewards of beginning such programs can be numerous, as seen in the Tulsa, Okla., project. Not only is the mentor shop benefited by the extra assistance, the students receive valuable training and influence. In the end, the future of the students, the mentors and the automotive industry is improved because of Transportation 2000.
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