Focus on Education Leads to the Best Auto Service in Howard County
Posted by Brian England on Mon, Jun 21, 2010
In the near future cars will have many crash avoidance systems to help prevent them from getting into accidents, cars will talk to other cars, and cars will drive themselves. As a result we will need qualified auto mechanics with at least two year associates degree to work on these cars. Recently GM started to rehire people for their production line and found they were short of those with the skills needed for the modern production line.
A car is the most complicated machine people own. They have dozens of computer systems, a heating and air-conditioning system, an engine cooling and electrical systems that are a 1000 times more complicated than a house's plumbing and electrical systems. Then there is an entertainment systems, and we can't forget a high efficiency engine, electric motors, suspension and braking systems! And all this together and in motion!
Having skilled auto technicians who can work on all these systems is critical.
How are we going to have enough skilled automotive technicians so we can continue to provide the best car care in Columbia?
Well, it all starts in school with career education. In Howard County we are lucky to have a forward-looking school system that has been embracing career education for a number of years. Career preparation is an important part of education and high schools are starting to understand that if you can interest a student in career ideas then, educating the student becomes a lot easier. Regardless of the student's choice - to leave school at 18; go to a two year community college or attend four year college, if they have a career goal they are much more likely to succeed.
A number of years ago our local automobile trade association embraced the idea of career education and started a pre-automotive academy. www.mdautotraining.com The academy allows students from 8th to 12th grade to experience what it is like to work in an automotive service facility and what a career as an automotive technician would be like. So far over 80 students have taken the classes, which take place at British American Auto Care over five weeks on Saturdays from 8:30am - 12:30pm. Students spend time in the classroom and time in the workshop. The final class takes them on a visit to the Baltimore County Community College (BCCC) which has an outstanding automotive technician program.
The BCCC automotive technician program is a two-year program and students finish with an associate's degree. Our local trade association works closely with BCCC and in fact has developed a new training program that has been adopted by BCCC and is proving to be an incredible success.
At the last class held at British American Auto Care Inc. eight students were introduced to vehicle computers, identification numbers, and engine and temperature conversion calculations. They were shown how to perform a MD Inspection and an oil and filter change. They were also given a 10 pound two inch thick college level automotive textbook! Now, you might think this would scare students away, but this is a book on something they like, or even love!
Half way through the first class I heard two 9th graders talking "Hey, I can't wait to get home and start reading the book" " Yeah, I think I will be up all night reading it".
In previous classes students who arrived early to the class were sitting on the seat outside our shop reading the book. One parent told me that his son was never off the computer and was always playing computer games until he got his hand on the automotive training book. Now he reads it constantly and shows off his knowledge to his dad. This turn around is the rule not the exception and it makes holding these classes very worthwhile. The embracing of a college level text book jump starts their academic learning - they understand that they have to be ready to take and pass college placement tests in math and English.
The automobile industry is working hard to find the right students to encourage. Students that excel will find they have a job, their education paid for, an apprenticeship and a very bright rewarding future in a highly technical industry.
Career education should be encouraged in all fields; we constantly hear that students leaving or dropping out of college will end up having many different careers. That is true and the chances are that nobody showed them the connection between education and a career while they were still in school.