New Team, Goals Rolled Out at Spring Tech Training Meeting

New Team, Goals Rolled Out at Spring Tech Training Meeting

Greater Flexibility to All Dealers[/I]

Kicking off its sixth year, WANADA is taking its successful technician training program to the next level with its newly formed Automobile Dealer Education Institute (ADEI), which will offer greater flexibility to [I]all dealers[/I] who wish to develop and train the critically needed next generation of technicians.

Presented at last weekês spring tech training meeting, ADEI was described as an outgrowth of the Strategic Leadership Team, formed last September and made up of service managers, educators and WANADAês tech training staff to oversee the program at Montgomery College (MC) and suggest changes in the WANADA tech training program.

–We looked at the existing apprenticeship program and spent a lot of time discussing what would serve dealers best and what tools are needed to keep the pipeline full of emerging techs,” said ADEI Chairman Harold Redden of Fitzgerald Auto Malls who has a long and distinguished history of involvement in WANADA-sponsored tech training programs at all levels.

How it Works

Three things were decided: 1) the program must be certified by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) and focus on ASE certification; 2) it must offer manufacturer-specific training; and 3) candidates from other fields who show technical aptitude must be included.

–With all that in mind, the team felt that a modular approach to training would make the most sense, because dealers need more flexibility and choices of programs,” said Redden.

ASE Certification, which WANADAês tech training tracks, is broken down into five modules, beginning with Brakes, Steering and Suspension and advancing to Electrical, Engine Performance, Heating and AC, and Transmissions. Each module runs a 20-week semester at Montgomery College. The WANADA Master Technician track requires students to take all five modules, so over the course of 2.5 years, a student can go from apprentice to fully certified master ASE technician.

With the modular approach, however, dealerships can send experienced techs for one module they may need, or send beginners to the first module to see if they have the aptitude to continue, Redden pointed out. –In some cases taking one or two modules may be all the dealer needs. So this mix-and-match approach gives us a lot of leeway and a lot of places we can pick up these candidates where they can work best.”

To satisfy NATEF requirements, dealership mentors work with the student. There is a test list, –and completion of those tests goes towards having this program NATEF certified,” said Redden. In addition, one hour is set aside each week for students to do specific manufacturer training created by the service director.

–WANADA supplies the student with $1,000 of tools when they successfully complete the first 60 days of the program,” said Redden.

WANADA plans to take the ADEI model to other schools in Northern Virginia and Maryland, and seek additional support for it from other manufacturers.

ADEI consultant Larry Shulman added that this program is –a true partnership” between the educational institution, dealer and manufacturer. He described it as –industry-centric” with the full support and resources of Montgomery College, including English language courses for immigrants who are expected to make up a large part of the auto technician profession.

–Everything in the program is dealer driven,” he said. –The dealer is the customer, and we want to make sure they like the product. But manufacturers are the other half of the walnut,” said Shulman referring to the genesis of ADEI where Ford Motor Company partnered with WANADA.

George Payne, vice president of Workforce Development and Continuing Education at Montgomery College, gave a presentation on the 10,000 square foot auto tech training facility at the schoolês Homer S. Gudelsky Institute and its many public/private resources. Payne offered MCês full support to WANADA for the –extraordinary” new training initiative.

Why Dealers Need It

Dennis Rippeon, vice president of Ourisman Automotive and past WANADA Chairman, stressed the importance of dealer participation in WANADAês tech training program as a means of –maintaining a dealerês cost level for the long term.”

–Yesterday I signed a pay increase for a standard Chrysler line tech not an •Aê tech who is an ASE-certified master tech for $30 an hour,” said Rippeon. –Thatês good for the tech, but itês raising our cost substantially,” he said. –We need to maintain growth in our service departments in order to offset the loses that can occur when vehicle sales are off,” said Rippeon.

Ourisman Automotive has been involved in the WANADA tech training program for a number of years and now employs six fully certified line techs three Ford, three Chevrolet- –which weêre very proud of,” Rippeon added. –The program allows us to generate a sense of loyalty, such that you pay them well and donêt have to worry about somebody stealing them from you.”

Dealers Voice Support

I think the program is a great success,” said Tom Busche of Chevy Chase Cars, who also serves on the ADEI Strategic Leadership Team. –I couldnêt ask for more from WANADA or MC as far as training because the system really drives home the work ethic and need to be certified.”

To keep his technician trainees motivated, he said Chevy Chase Cars has a –competition pay program.” Students come on board at $8 an hour, and when they become productive after finishing the first module, they are switched to a flat rate based on a percentage of the dealershipês labor hourly rate. Each time the apprentice completes a module and passes a test, pay is increased 1.5%.

–That way, the harder you work, the more money you make,” said Busche. –They are in charge of their own raiseÄitês up to them. As they get better and pass more tests, they gain increases.”

Chevy Chase Cars also compensates mentor techs for the direction they offer apprentices by paying them $2 an hour for every hour the apprentice turns, once the apprentice becomes productive.

With two young men currently in module one and a young lady due to start this fall, Busche recommends hiring students before they actually start class –just to check out their work habits and to find out if itês the right person for your dealership.”

He praised the flexibility of the WANADA program to enroll employed techs in different modules. –It brings your shop up one level and gives people a chance to progress,” he said. –It also builds camaraderie and they stay on board.”

Steuart Martens of Martens Cars said he was pleased with the WANADA program for gaining the endorsement of the Veterans Administration and attracting returning veterans. –We hired one Marine looking for an auto tech career who already had a career direction in life.”

Martens also praised the involvement of the many District 7620 Rotary Clubs in Maryland and DC that have endorsed and donated funds to the WANADA Apprenticeship Training Program.

Building on Success

–With the assistance of training partners, we have great hope for ADEI,” said WANADA CEO Gerard Murphy. –It is a flexible, ala carte industry driven program with people in our industry crafting the curricula. And Montgomery College is going to take it to more than just the training level by adding a degree program and the potential to develop retail auto sales and management curricula.”

ADEI is the next building block on a long history of successful WANADA-backed pre-apprentice high school programs around the Beltway that Murphy called –farm teams for major leagues.” Through partnerships with programs like the Automotive Trades Foundation (ATF) in Montgomery County and the Foundation for Applied Technical Education (FATE) in Fairfax, WANADA is able to find top students with the right attitude and aptitude.

The Ford Motor Company/WANADA partnership at the pre-apprentice program at Phelps Career Center in the District blossomed into Fordês sponsorship of the WANADA Apprenticeship Training Program, which with Fordês approval is now open to dealerships of all makes.

–Weêve got 125 trained and skilled techs in place now at dealerships throughout the area. Thatês where the rubber meets the road and why we are in business,” said Murphy.

At the end of the meeting Archie Avedisian, who together with Bill Belew and Wil Desjardins make up WANADAês auto tech staff, reminded dealers interested in signing up for the program to get their applications in right away –before these kids scatter for the summer.”

For more information on the WANADA Technician Training Program, or to sign up to sponsor a student, contact Archie Avedisian or Bill Belew at WANADA, (202) 237-7200.

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ADEI Strategic Leadership Team

. Archie Avedisian, WANADA

. Bill Belew, WANADA

. Steve Boden, Montgomery County Schools

. Tom Busche, Chevy Chase Cars

. Frank Catalano, DARCARS

. Wil Desjardins, WANADA

. Paul Gerardi, Ourisman Automotive

. Joe Herson formerly of Manhattan Automotive

. Scott Jenkins, DARCARS

. Dave McFadden, Ourisman Automotive

. Gerard Murphy, WANADA

. George Payne, Montgomery College

. Harold Redden, Fitzgerald Auto Malls

. Dennis Rippeon, Ourisman Automotive

. J. R. Rosenberger from Aspen Hill Shell, aftermarket representative

. Larry Shulman, Shulman/Rogers