We all know that automotive programs (automobile, collision repair and refinish, medium/heavy truck, alternative fuels) are not created equal - some are much better than others. But why is there such a difference in programs? Why do some programs have more support than others?

One obvious reason is that not all training programs meet the national standards, set by the industry and evaluated by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF), for certification by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE).

Certainly lack of ASE certification is not the only reason for the difference in programs. Schools need help from the public they serve. You are a consumer of their product - the students - when you hire new technicians. What you may not realize is that you are also a creator of that product. The roles of consumer and creator are interrelated.

As consumer, you should let the school know if their product was up to your level of expectations (positive and negative comments are appropriate). If you cannot hire program graduates because they lack entry-level skills needed, let the schools know specifically what skills you are looking for in a new hire.

Your message is even more powerful if you work with the school (thus as a creator) to produce graduates who have the skills required for employment. Shop owners can do this in a variety of ways.

First of all, participation on an advisory committee gives guidance to the program. Advisory committees bring the realities of the world of working technicians and shop owners to light.

Advisory committees can be strong advocates for programs. There are school administrators who do not understand the need for expensive tools and equipment. By helping those administrators understand the criticality of the tools and equipment in terms of acquiring skills needed for employment, an advisory committee can make a significant contribution to the quality of the program.

An active advisory committee is one of the requirements for ASE certification. If the program is not already ASE certified, work with the program to meet the standards.

A second idea for shop owners is to provide cooperative work opportunities for students while they are in school. A properly managed cooperative work program must have specifically stated expectations for the student, the work site supervisor (whether it is the owner or another technician) and the person from the school responsible for coordinating the work and school activities (automotive instructor, co-op supervisor or counselor). Students must be given the opportunity to work with a technician, not sweep floors or clean cars. Students who are in cooperative work programs have enriched learning experiences not available to them in a classroom environment. They also typically build loyalty to their employer.

Other ways in which to help schools are to volunteer your expertise by substituting when an instructor is ill, demonstrating a diagnostic procedure using tools/equipment from your shop not available at the school, hosting a group of students for a learning activity at your shop or participating in career day activities.

Finally, teachers also need your help. Consider offering a teacher employment during the summer months. The more opportunities they have to keep their skills current, the better their real world examples will be in the classroom. Teachers may not initially be as fast diagnosing problems as the technician who uses the skills daily, but in turn, they may have skills (communications, computers, etc.) to teach your technicians. These experiences help them become better teachers and their students will have better examples from which to learn.

You may be wondering if there are shop owners working with schools? Yes! All across our nation there are fine examples of shop owners working with schools. There are also two major initiatives that are proving successful.

Many of you are familiar with the Missouri Blitz, an endeavor by the Missouri Automotive Service Association (ASA) collision division members, the state department of education, and the collision repair and refinish programs in the schools throughout the state. The goal is to have the ASA member shops work with schools, employ students and help the training programs achieve ASE certification. The Missouri Blitz is so successful that ASA-Texas mechanical and collision members will begin a Texas Blitz this school year.

Another example of shop owners working together to gain better entry-level technicians is found in the Seattle area. Many shop owners wanted to provide an alternative program, similar to the manufacturer-sponsored programs at community colleges, designed specifically for independent repair technicians. The Independent Technicians Education Coalition (ITEC) was launched last fall in the Puget Sound area. To be selected as an ITEC training program, both the educational institution and students must meet strict academic and technical standards. Qualified shops sponsor students and pay students while they are working in the facility. Students spend several weeks in school followed by an equal amount of time working for their sponsor. Work in the shop reinforces and enhances skills learned in school.

In closing, it is necessary to ask what can be learned from these efforts. Do we, as citizens and taxpayers, have a right to expect more from schools and students? It takes commitment from the instructors, administrators, parents, counselors, students and employers to provide educationally sound learning opportunities for future technicians. You can expect more from schools only if you are willing to be a part of the solution. The future is clearly in your hands. Schools need and want your help. In the end you will be the beneficiary of the time and effort you spend helping schools today.

Patricia A. Lundquist, Ph.D., is the vice president of education for ASE and the executive director of NATEF.

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