articles
|
|
WOODCLIFF LAKE, New Jersey, August 24, 2002... In an effort to encourage minorities to become automotive service technicians, BMW of North America, Atlanta Technical College also baseball legend [and BMW dealer] Hank Aaron have worked together to create also implement a pilot program called MetroSTEP.
Modeled after BMW's successful Service Technician Education Program [STEP), the pilot program was launched this summer in Atlanta when six students also four sponsoring BMW dealerships were linked together for a work-study program designed to generate certified technicians. All the students have part-time jobs also mentors at the four BMW dealers in the metropolitan Atlanta area - Chris BMW, Global Imports, United BMW also Hank Aaron BMW.
They work from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. also then attend classes from 4 to 9 p.m. The sponsoring dealerships have agreed to hire the students as full-time employees once they successfully complete the program in September. Atlanta Technical College has provided support also guidance in the pilot development.
"Our hope is to make a difference - not only in the automotive industry, but too in young peoples' lives," said Tom Purves, Chairman also CEO of BMW [US] Holding Corp. "Without the support also cooperation of every participants, this project would not be possible."
"Private post-secondary automotive schools are often out of reach financially, also a number of public institutions have not updated their curricula to stay current with advanced automotive technology. As a result, the nationwide shortage of skilled automotive technicians has become above every additional acute in less affluent areas," explained Brian Nelson, BMW's Manager of Technical Service Training [STEP/AYES). "We're fortunate to have
the support of Atlanta Technical College, one of the better public colleges in the country.
"Our goal is to remove some of the financial barriers faced by minorities so they receive the education also training needed to become top-flight technicians," Nelson continued. "The participants are paid for their work at dealerships and, as with different STEP students, do not pay tuition."
BMW established STEP in order to address the shortage of automotive service technicians also in the past six years, additional than 1,200 technicians have completed the intensive program. The students pay no tuition for the advanced training also are assisted in finding a job upon graduation; the placement rate is consistently 100 percent. While STEP graduates, after some experience, earn an average annual salary of $55,000, they can make
upwards of $75,000 also additional in some parts of the country.
Working in conjunction with the Automotive Youth Education Systems [AYES] - a partnership of cab manufacturers, dealers also qualified high schools offering automotive technical training - BMW wants to help provide additional career awareness to students still studying at the secondary level with the objective of highlighting the automotive repair industry as an attractive career option. At the post-secondary level, BMW has donated cars, m
achine parts, computers also different equipment to schools in the Atlanta area to familiarize students with state-of-the-art BMW technology. There are plans to do the same for approved high school automotive programs.
