LEESBURG, VA – The National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) is expanding the scope of its End Of Program (EOP) tests with the addition of both a Collision Repair and a Medium/Heavy Truck series. According to the foundation, this enhancement will better allow automotive technology training programs at the secondary and post-secondary levels to assess their students and allow the schools to meet certain requirements for government funding.

The NATEF End of Program Tests are designed to measure students’ knowledge of course content and learning outcomes within an automobile technician training program. The test series is made up of eight separate tests based on the ASE automobile test categories. These tests include a combination of theory and vehicle service related questions, and are developed using the NATEF task list. All students will receive a pass/fail score for each test. Although this is not an ASE certification test, students who pass all four of the test categories that correspond to the NATEF Core Areas (Suspension & Steering, Brakes, Electrical/Electronic Systems, and Engine Performance) will receive an ASE Student Recognition document and insignia.

According to NATEF, one of the biggest challenges facing any automotive technology program is demonstrating its value to parents, students and school administration. Having a process in place to clearly show student knowledge of course content and learning outcomes gives you a recognized industry benchmark to measure the success and effectiveness of your program. These are critical metrics when applying for funding under the Perkins IV program.

The cost is minimal and schools can order these tests directly from NATEF. In addition, the Computer-Based Testing (CBT) format offers a significantly longer testing window than the old paper and pencil format, instant score results, lower cost to the school and the ability to carry over unused test credits to future administrations. The EOP tests are available for automotive and collision repair and refinish programs, with the first collision EOP test in Painting and Refinishing available in Spring 2008. Information on the EOP tests, along with information on how to obtain and use them, is available at the NATEF website: www.natef.org.

For more information about ASE, visit: www.ase.com.