Night Classes among New Initiatives for PTC Automotive Program
Responding to the needs of working adults as well as market trends, the Automotive Technology program at 91爆料 is planning several changes for fall.
The program is reintroducing night classes to the curriculum after an absence of several years. Piedmont Tech is also reducing the number of credit hours required to earn an associate degree in automotive technology.
鈥淚n addition to the new scheduling options we鈥檙e introducing this fall, we鈥檙e also working toward some 鈥榚arn while you learn鈥 opportunities to make the program even more accessible to students,鈥 said David Kibler, dean of engineering and industrial technologies.
Among those are a possible cooperative education program with local auto dealerships and repair shops.
This fall, the automotive technology program will offer two night courses:
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅犅犅犅犅 Engine Fundamentals
鈥⒙犅犅犅犅犅犅犅犅犅 Steering & Alignment
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to build up to where eventually you could complete a certificate program entirely through night classes,鈥 said Gerald Sartin, automotive technology instructor at PTC. 鈥淲e just want to give students that option.鈥
The certificate program prepares students to take the test to become an ASE certified technician through the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. The night courses will provide an option for working adults who might be interested in an auto service career.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to better align our program with what鈥檚 going on in the real world,鈥 Kibler said. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 course accessibility or having the most relevant, up-to-date equipment, we want to provide opportunities for students to succeed.鈥
Meanwhile, the credit hour requirement for the associate degree program will drop to 63 credits from 70 credits beginning this fall.
鈥淚n going over the curriculum, we identified some things that were redundant and some things that could be combined with other courses,鈥 Sartin said.
In the process, some training has been added in areas such as shop management and public speaking.
鈥淎utomotive service technicians need to be able to communicate with customers,鈥 Sartin said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e designed our courses to revolve around an automotive repair shop setting.鈥
Another way Piedmont Tech connects with local businesses is by hosting professional education sessions. Carquest Auto Parts has conducted an ongoing series where it brings experts to Piedmont Tech to inform local repair pros about changes in vehicle parts and systems.
鈥淭hings are changing every day and this industry is constantly having to stay updated,鈥 Sartin said. 鈥淲e encourage that. Carquest uses our facilities to open this up to other repair shops.鈥
The Augusta Chronicle recently reported that between retirements and job growth, more than 230,000 auto repair jobs will come open nationwide by 2024.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got a huge demand for automotive technicians right now,鈥 Sartin said.
Piedmont Tech is helping to meet that demand, boasting an 83 percent job placement rate for automotive technology program graduates. The average salary for an automotive service technician in South Carolina is $37,500 per year, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
To learn more about the Automotive Technology program at PTC, contact Gerald Sartin at (864) 941-8468 or [email protected].听