Automotive Service Technicians needed – and lots of them!
That’s one take away from the Bureau of Labor statistics, which estimates that 46,000 new automotive service technicians and mechanics will be needed by 2026. Automotive repair is one of many career options that don’t require a college degree, but do deliver solid – potentially high – wages. There’s a place in Uptown Tampa that opens doors to careers in fields like this and they are looking for people who want to pursue the opportunity.
AMRoC Fab Lab, a program of the nonprofit Foundation for Community Driven Innovation, is seeking students for two training programs that can provide skills and certifications that immediately boost job prospects and starting salary potential. AMRoC works to provide local business and industry with the skilled talent pool needed for global competitiveness.
AMRoC Fab Lab empowers individuals through creative self-expression and bridging the manufacturing and industry talent gap through robust project-based engineering education and training.
The 180 Skills program offers a vast array of courses and career tracks that participants can complete on-line at their own pace with tutorial support and advice available in-person at AMRoC in University Mall. Participants can choose to work on employability skills that can be helpful to their success in any field, such as job search skills, networking, resume building, interviewing, communication skills, Microsoft Office, team-building, time management, and many more.
“The 180 Skills curriculum is an incredible resource that includes a vast array of learning opportunities that can lead to well-paying, fulfilling careers,” said AMRoC Executive Director, Terri Willingham.
Technical skills courses are available in aerospace manufacturing, automation, CNC machining skills, composites, electrical, engineering drawing, fasteners, hand tools, hydraulics, logistics, manufacturing, materials, measurement, non-destruction examination skills, programmable logic controllers, power tools, pneumatic skills, robotics, tool-making, and welding. Participants can earn certifications specific to the courses they choose in three months or less with just 15 hours per week of study. Click here to learn more.
AMRoC is also enrolling for an Automotive Repair Certification Course that prepares them for the ASE G1 certification test that qualifies them for well-paying jobs in the automotive industry. The certification course is for students 16 and up and fees are waived for those who live in zip codes 33612, 33717, and 33613 (east of US 41). The certification course consists of 15-18 hours of classroom time with some homework.
The courses are taught by Pam Oakes, ASE EET of US Auto Training, who also trains and develops content for Delphi Technologies and has more than 20 years of experience as a shop owner, automotive applications engineer, developer-designer, author, speaker, and radio/TV commentator. Oakes is an innovator whose patented gas cap grip has been fitted for 240 million cars and trucks and featured on NBC’s Today Show Next Big Thing segment. She has two more patents pending and her online series, Car Care for the Clueless has more than 2,000 videos and podcasts helping drivers understand and communicate with automotive technicians.
Automotive Repair instructor, Pam Oakes, has a passion for unleashing the potential of students.
“It’s a life changer. I’ve had students earning $8 or $9 an hour doing oil changes that have taken courses and come out of it earning twice that as B-level technicians or managing a shop themselves. They have that sense of accomplishment, pride, and confidence that they can reach higher,” said Oakes, who knows several former students who have continued their education to earn Master-level automotive repair certifications and earn six figures.
The course also qualifies them to obtain their EPA-609 certification which is required for anyone servicing an air conditioning system. Anyone so much as unbolting and rebolting a condenser without the certification can lead to a shop being fined severely. Oakes knows of several instances where shops have received fines of up to $95,000.
Interested people are encouraged to sign up by clicking here and the course’s starting date and schedule will be determined once a minimum number of participants have registered.
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