To broaden the outreach and participation in its apprenticeship training program, WANADA is opening up the program to dealerships of all brands, not just Ford products dealers. The objective is to encourage more dealership sponsors, greater involvement by other manufacturers, and to fill out available space in our apprenticeship program.
Ford Motor Company, which has approved the new policy, will continue to offer its full support for the Ford/WANADA Technician Apprentice Training Program by providing cars, tools, equipment and access to its complete training curriculum. Apprentices sponsored by Ford products dealers will continue to receive manufacturer-specific training as well as training for full ASE certification.
However, other make dealers can now take advantage of the program to help their own techs achieve ASE certification as Master Technicians. Additionally, WANADA is actively looking to involve other manufacturers in joining the Ford program to provide their own specific training curriculums to help apprentices receive manufacturer certification for warranty work.
This broadens our current program to accept all dealers and encourage other manufacturers to offer assistance with cars, tools and programs and, eventually, closer relationships with the program, said Richard Snyder of Jerryês Lincoln-Mercury/Jeep, WANADAês tech training taskforce leader. Kids currently in the program are eligible to go to any make dealership as soon as we get dealers to say yes,ê he added.
Wanted: More Dealer Sponsors
Unlike other tech training programs, WANADA requires that apprentices be sponsored by a dealership for the cost of the training. Currently, there are more qualified applicants than dealer sponsors. So, dealersã all dealersã may now take advantage of this opportunity to fill the high demand for qualified technicians by becoming sponsors for these apprenticeship students.
The best reference is the dealer who has signed on to the program, like WANADA Chairman Vince Sheehy, who has been a participant and strong advocate of the program from the beginning.
Our service management feels WANADAês tech training has been a highly productive approach to recruiting and training new techs, said Sheehy. It certainly has been a great avenue for us to bring in talented and motivated young apprentices, and I highly recommend the program to all dealers now that Ford has consented to an open program.
In general, high caliber individuals have been attracted to the program, he added. And with the support of WANADAês tech team to stay in close touch with the kids and their service managers and solve any problems that crop up, we have had good success with our trainees.
Now into its third year, the program operates at Montgomery College in Rockville, MD, and Marshall Academy in Falls Church, VA, with a third facility under development in Prince William County, VA. The highly structured program combines classroom instruction with hands-on, mentored training at the dealership. WANADA recruits and screens applicants from area high school programs, and provides follow-up support for all students.
The result has been a strong retention rate (86%), rewarding careers for young people, and success in addressing the chronic shortage of qualified auto technicians. With these programs serving as a model, WANADA is approaching other automakers with an eye to establishing additional tech training throughout the area.
Dealers interested in sponsoring apprentices, from existing staff or WANADAês recruitment pool, should contact Bill Belew at (202) 237-7200.
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