NATEF Launches General Service Technician Program

Leesburg, VA, March 20, 2003 - Just as one size doesn't fit all when it comes to clothing, employers have varying needs when they are hiring entry-level technicians. Some need generalists while others need specialists. In response to industry and education requests, the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and its education foundation, the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF), are pleased to announce the rollout of the General Service Technician Program. This new program will serve as an additional option for secondary programs that choose to certify as articulated programs.

This new certification track for secondary training programs is designed to graduate entry-level technicians with as broad a skill set as possible. ASE President Ronald H. Weiner said, "The General Service Technician Program is intended to serve high school programs in areas where local employers prefer to hire graduates who have broad skills and a general understanding of all automotive systems rather than skill sets with greater depth in fewer automotive systems".

The basic requirements for the new General Service Technician Program certification are rigorous. One hundred percent of the tasks on the task list are required to be taught over a minimum period of 500 hours. Instructors must have current ASE certification in Suspension & Steering (A4), Brakes (A5), Electrical/Electronic Systems (A6), and Engine Performance (A8). Additionally, they must attend at least 20 hours of in-service industry training annually. And all General Service Technician Programs must have an articulation agreement with an ASE-certified post-secondary program to encourage students to continue their education beyond high school.

"The General Service Technician Program is a win-win for industry and education", said Al Duebber, NATEF Chair and owner of Duebber's Automotive Service Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. "Graduates will have the opportunity to build a solid foundation in electrical/electronics and have a general understanding of all automotive systems, which is extremely important to many employers."

Programs that wish to become ASE-certified as a General Service Technician Program must demonstrate that they meet strict industry standards. The process and cost for certification are the same as for other programs administered by NATEF. Specific information on the standards, including the task and tool lists, can be found on the NATEF web site at www.natef.org.

Founded in 1983, NATEF is a non-profit foundation within the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) organization. The primary mission of NATEF is to improve the quality of automotive technician training programs through voluntary certification. NATEF is responsible for the program evaluation process, and makes recommendations for ASE program certification based on the evaluation. The State Departments of Education in all 50 states support ASE certification of automotive programs. For more information on NATEF, contact Shannon Vizinni, at 703-669-6650 or via e-mail at svizzini@natef.org