GRAND BLANC, Mich. – In an effort to help groom the next generation of skilled automotive technicians, ACDelco is providing a limited number of free, Web-based training courses to instructors and students enrolled in programs accredited by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF). 
As part of the ACDelco National Training Program, instructors can access more than 100 ACDelco Web courses, while students can take advantage of 23 courses focusing on vehicle maintenance and light repair issues.
ACDelco said it decided to expand the program following a successful pilot last fall. “We hope providing free, online training courses will entice high school students to consider pursuing the automotive technician field,” said Chris Brandt, ACDelco national marketing manager. “Today’s technicians are highly skilled; these are great jobs that are in demand.”
Like many other skilled trades, there are more auto technician jobs available than workers to fill them, and the trend is expected to continue because about half of all technicians working today will be eligible to retire within 15 years. There are career opportunities at dealerships as well as at independent service centers.
In fact, the demand for auto mechanics in the U.S. is expected to grow about 17 percent from 2010 to 2020, adding 124,800 jobs for a total of 848,200, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. Auto technicians earn an average of $39,000, according to the BLS, but highly trained master technicians can earn $60,000 or more.
NATEF evaluates school training programs against standards established jointly by the industry and education that reflects the skills graduates must master to be successful in the industry.
GM and ACDelco are strong supporters of future automotive technicians via NATEF-accredited secondary and post-secondary schools. GM also operates the General Motors Automotive Service Educational Program, or GMASEP – a training program in cooperation with dealers and participating community colleges – as well as the GM Service Technical College.
To learn more about free online training courses and to register, visit acdelcotechconnect.com and open the Training tab.
