Ford Launches Technician Training Programs, Adds BEV Courses – Maintenance

Ford is expanding the curriculum and including areas to its schooling software intended to increase more specifically educated automotive experts to a rapidly-rising industry that now incorporates electric autos, the OEM introduced on June 6.

The initiative, acknowledged as Automotive College student Services Instructional Instruction (ASSET), is a collaboration concerning Ford Motor Business, Ford, and Lincoln sellers and decide on local community schools and technical schools. The program offers Ford and Lincoln dealerships and their consumers with technicians really educated in Ford service technologies and diagnostic & restore procedures, the announcement mentioned.

Three new ASSET programs are setting up this calendar year at the next local community colleges:

• Pima Community Higher education, Tucson, Arizona
• Wake Technical University, Raleigh, North Carolina
• Gwinnett Specialized College, Lawrenceville, Georgia

Also, ASSET will be incorporating Ford EV curriculum such as classes on Substantial Voltage Devices Safety, Hybrid Vehicle Components and Operation, Battery Electric powered Car or truck (BEV) Parts and Procedure, and an introduction to Significant Voltage Battery Services, as nicely as a Ford teacher-led course on Hybrid and Electric powered Car Procedure and Prognosis.

Ford has supplied 25 PHEV or BEV motor vehicles to ASSET areas, so students get arms-on training, according to the information release.

“The ASSET method places these young ones in in the classroom and then in the stall applying it. To me, finding all those two at the exact same time is going to give a dealer better technician retention and the college student a greater comprehending of the information and facts,” says Josh Fichter, normal manager, 5 Star Ford in North Richland Hills, Texas. “It also breeds loyalty simply because if you’re not proactively growing your have specialists suitable now, you are going to be in a entire world of harm.”

Ford is also incorporating a Cellular Support Technician Certification to the ASSET curriculum. This software is a pathway for pupils that might be sponsored at one particular of the 300+ sellers in the U.S. at present operating Cell Service Fleets. The Cellular Company Technician Certification pathway enhances college students Upkeep and Mild Restore aptitudes early in the program timeline, on their way to turning out to be a lot more comfy with larger sized repairs, working to develop into an A-degree technician and ASSET graduate, Ford mentioned.

“My encounter with ASSET been terrific,” states Josh Lilley, an ASSET pupil at Five Star Ford in Dallas, Texas. “As much back again as I can don’t forget, I have been tinkering on my dad’s initial-technology Bronco. I would wholeheartedly propose this to any one pursuing an automotive vocation at the dealership. It is these kinds of a fantastic plan, specifically if you really do not know everything, they’ll sit you down and assist you mature those people competencies. I uncovered a whole lot a lot more than I ever thought I would will need or know.”

Above a two-calendar year period of time, an ASSET student can get paid up to 100% of Ford’s Assistance Technician Specialty Teaching (STST) qualifications, receive an associate diploma in Automotive Technology, and have one-12 months of get the job done working experience at a Ford or Lincoln dealership. ASSET graduates also can obtain Ford’s Higher Voltage Methods Certification, in addition to the 12 certifications the application now delivers.

Because 1985, more than 12,000 students have graduated from the ASSET system with 1,800 Ford and Lincoln sellers taking part as sponsors. The ASSET software is a person of a few post-secondary Ford-sponsored automotive teaching courses via New Ford Tech, an initiative inside of the firm aimed at supporting and developing a good pool of skilled automotive repair technicians to support meet raising demand.