The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 1997. Incorporated on June 12, 1972, ASE contends that the real significance of this anniversary is that it represents 25 years of the professional automotive technician.

To celebrate the milestone, ASE has held special events and expanded communication activities, traveling to key cities to host double-header meetings - one day with consumer groups and the media, and the next day with technicians and auto industry representatives.

The extended celebration has afforded ASE the opportunity to expand its ongoing public and industry awareness campaign to accomplish the following on behalf of the working technician and auto repair profession: reach more consumers with information about ASE-certified technicians; provide consumers with useful auto care information; educate consumer organizations about the ASE certification program; reach young people and parents about career opportunities in the auto service field; and reinforce with employers the value of getting their technicians ASE certified and hiring ASE-certified technicians.

ASE, Born Out Of A Need
In 1972, ASE offered four automobile tests. Today, ASE offers 34 tests in eight test series. More than 400,000 technicians hold current ASE certifications. They work in every segment of the automotive service industry - car and truck dealerships, independent garages, fleets, service stations, franchises and more.

In the late 1960s, the auto repair industry was being investigated for fraud and congressional hearings were held. It was determined that the problem with the industry was due to the incompetence of mechanics rather than fraud. There was no way for consumers to distinguish between competent and incompetent mechanics. If someone had a toolbox, they could call themselves a mechanic.

As a result, the automotive industry took action to discourage legislation that would create laws and regulations for mandatory licensing of technicians. The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) and the former Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association (MVMA) joined together to fund a feasibility study, which, in turn, led to the founding of ASE.

ASE's mission from the beginning has been to help improve the quality of automotive service and repair through the voluntary testing and certification of automotive repair technicians. Today, ASE continues to operate as a non-profit organization, independent of outside funding, operating solely on resources generated from registration and test fees.

How Do Shops Benefit From ASE Certification?
ASE testing and certification prompts technicians to learn more about their trade and gives them a challenging method by which to gauge their expertise. Shops benefit from having more educated and experienced employees. Consumers benefit from ASE certification because more knowledgeable technicians means more reliable services and repairs, which in turn benefits the shop employing the certified technicians. Certification is a valuable yardstick by which to measure the knowledge and skills of individual technicians as well as the commitment to quality made by repair facilities employing certified technicians.

ASE-certified technicians usually wear blue and white ASE shoulder insignia and carry credentials listing their exact area(s) of expertise (brakes, engine repair, etc.), while employers often display their technicians' credentials in the customer waiting area and usually display the ASE sign on the premises.

ASE promotional activities are prompting consumers to look for facilities that display the ASE Blue Seal of Excellence logo on outdoor signs, in the customer waiting area, in the Yellow Pages and in other advertisements. Advertising campaigns seek to market the ASE name to consumers so that they can identify the ASE seal with experienced technicians.

Question And Answer With Rich White, ASE's Vice President Of Communications Q: What has been the most significant change with ASE over the past 25 years? A: The most significant change has been the level of awareness of the program within the automotive industry and among the motoring public. Q: How has ASE benefited the industry? A: The ASE certification program has proven itself to be a standard of excellence that can be marketed by the repair facilities, and it can be used to the advantage of the technician in career enhancement. It has proven itself to be valuable to companies in tracking and evaluating their technician employee competencies - areas of expertise and areas of weakness. Q: What is ASE's position on mandatory licensing of technicians? A: Being a voluntary organization and founded upon the concept of voluntary certification, we are not in favor of mandatory licensing of technicians. The strength of the ASE program is in its voluntary status. It is likely that mandatory licensing would directly cause a lowering of standards for technicians because the unacceptable alternative would be to put people out of work, and that is not the point of licensing. Q: Why do shops want ASE-certified technicians? A: It's a good hiring tool, and also a good advertising and marketing tool. You immediately know what level of competence the technician has. And with the growing awareness consumers have of the ASE program, more will look for the ASE seal. Also, it can be a built-in incentive program, and it helps ensure that technicians are keeping up with the technology. Q: What is the future of ASE's role in the industry? A: I think our role is to continue to respond to what the repair industry needs - to continue to reflect the standards of the industry.

ASE will continue to promote the program and will expand its promotional activities to consumers to educate them about ASE, and also to educate them on the auto repair process. The better educated the consumer, the more likely they will realize good repairs when they get them. We need to continue to help improve the overall image of technicians.

ASE will try to play a major role in bringing together groups and corporations to put together a public relations and advertising program to educate the public. We need to join forces. We don't need another organization - existing automotive organizations need to work together to avoid duplicating efforts in the pursuit of enhancing the image of technicians and educating the public about auto repair.

Upon passing at least one exam and after providing proof of two years of relevant work experience, the mechanic becomes an ASE-Certified Technician. A mechanic who passes a series of tests earns ASE Master Technician status.

Certification is not for life. ASE technicians must be retested every five years in order to keep up with changing technology and to remain in the ASE program.

The tests, which are conducted twice a year each May and November at over 700 locations around the country, are administered by American College Testing (ACT). The registration fee is $20, and most tests are $18 each.

ASE On-line
ASE has a home page on the World Wide Web (WWW). Launched in early 1997, the site http://www.asecert.org includes information about ASE's testing and certification programs, its consumer outreach efforts and more.

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