PSADA

Professional Automotive Training Center At Shoreline Community College

The Professional Automotive Training Center (PATC) at Shoreline Community College is a partnership between the Puget Sound Automobile Dealers Association and the Washington State Community and Technical College System. The PATC offers a wide variety of manufacturer specific technician training programs as well as training for specific dealership operations personnel.

Manufacturer Specific Technician Training at the PATC

Chrysler, General Motors, American Honda and Toyota offer two-year manufacturer specific technical training programs at the PATC. Students must meet specific competencies to qualify for acceptance into each program. Upon acceptance into the program, students interview with regional participating new car dealerships affiliated with the specific manufacturer program to establish a paid internship. The dealership remains the student's sponsor throughout the duration of the program. During the two-year process the student alternates each quarter between taking classes at the PATC and working in the dealership. After completion of the program, the student becomes a full-time employee of the dealership.

Before applying to attend Shoreline Community College so as to participate in one of the manufacturer specific programs, students should, first, contact the designated instructor for the program listed below to determine whether they meet the basic competencies to be admitted into the manufacturer program.

General Service Technician Training at the PATC

In addition to the two-year manufacturer-specific programs, the PATC also has the General Service Technician Program (GST). GST is a three quarter non-manufacturer specific technician program aimed at students needing basic automotive/academic skills. GST students complete nine months of basic automotive training – two quarters in class and one quarter in a repair shop internship. It is the desire of GST to place all students in new car dealerships. The majority of students entering into GST are from the low-income sector of the population. In most cases the students, while having the aptitude to work in the automotive repair industry, haven’t had opportunity or access to the auto industry and its high pay, sustainable wage careers. GST provides these students with this opportunity. The GST curriculum was designed to serve English as a Second Language (ESL) and Adult Basic Education (ABE) to GST students in need of these skills. GST is a good link for students to qualify for entrance into the more advanced manufacturer-specific programs at the PATC.

The following manufacturer specific training programs are available:

Chrysler College Automotive Program (CAP)
www.chryslercap.com
Instructor: Ken Campbell, 206-546-5844

General Motors Automotive Service Educational Program (GM-ASEP)
www.gmasepbsep.com
Instructor: Scott Main, 206-546-4784

American Honda Professional Automotive Career Program (PACT)
www.hondacareers.com
Instructor: Bob Biesiedzinski, 206-546-6970

Toyota Technical Education Network (T-TEN)
www.t-ten.com
Instructor: Matt Spitzer, 206-546-4669

General Service Technician (GST)
generalservicetech.shoreline.edu
Instructor: Mark Hankins, 206-546-4758

To talk to someone concerning any of the above manufacturer programs please contact Shoreline Community College at (206) 546-5851.

Dealership Operations Training at the PATC

The following courses are available to dealerships and their employees at the PATC.

For information about class schedules, please contact PSADA (206) 542-3551.

ASE Computer-Based Certification Exams

Customer Service Training

There is no screening or selective process to enroll in the program. The Customer Service Training Class is for anyone involved in the retail or service side of interacting with customers. Excellent candidates would include: employees of auto dealerships, independent repair shops or any other type retailer that comes in contact with customers, either by phone or in person.

This class will cover:

Improving phone skills.
Improved face to face contact with customers.
Handling customer complaints.
Reducing customer complaints.
Making a good first impression.
Common courtesy.
How NOT to lose the customer over the phone.
Proper ways to communicate with the opposite gender.

This class will help the students grasp the importance of successful customer relations. The class is taught by Dave DeMontigny who has more than 20 years experience training people in these skills.

Check with PSADA for class schedules.

Finance and Insurance (F&I)

There is no screening or selective process to enroll in the program. Participants become efficient, productive and profitable F&I managers for their dealerships whether they are relatively new to the auto industry or have many years of F&I experience. Curriculum, taught by a nationally certified F&I Trainer, includes a comprehensive presentation of every aspect of finance and insurance operations and the newest F&I techniques and procedures. The fifth day of the class is roll playing. This class meets Monday through Friday for a total of 40 hours and is scheduled three times per year excluding the summer months.

Service Advisor Training

There is no screening or selective process to enroll in the program. The Service Advisor Training Class is geared for people in the auto business as well as those from other businesses who have an interest in becoming a Service Advisor. This training is designed to cover all aspects of a service advisor’s responsibilities that are required by all new car and independent auto repair facilities. The class covers customer relations, selling techniques, telephone and communication skills, repair orders, customer complaints, warranty and more. The principles being taught are also applicable to the marine, RV and motorcycle industries. This class is taught by Dave DeMontigny who has been an independent shop owner and in this field for over 20 years. The class meets Tuesday and Thursday evenings over a 2 week period for a total of 14 hours. The class is scheduled three times per year.

Title Clerk Training

There is no screening or selective process to enroll in the program. This class is a comprehensive presentation of title clerk duties, responsibilities and job functions and is an introduction to state titling manuals, state titling requirements, license fees, temporaries and permits. A person successfully completing this course should be able to competently execute all of the daily duties of a new car dealership title clerk. The Title Clerk class meets Tuesday and Thursday evenings and on one Saturday for a total of 12 hours. The class is taught by Debbie Waddell, an experienced dealership titling clerk. This class is scheduled three times per year.

Classes & Training

U.S. DOT and FAA MANDATORY Certification for Parts Department Shipping Employees

If your Parts Department ships airbags or any quantity of hazardous material, regardless of quantity, you must comply with the United States Department of Transportation (“US DOT”) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA requirement that mandates that all companies shipping hazardous materials have at least one person in their shipping department trained in the US DOT’s shipping standards. This includes airbags. New employees must also be trained in “Security Awareness Education – a Federal requirement since 9/11. The class is offered three times a year.

This One-Day Materials Training, Testing and Compliance Accreditation Includes:

The mandatory DOT training and testing requirements in 49 CFR, sub part H, Section 172. 700 (HM- 126F) for General Awareness and Familiarization, Function- Specific and Safety Training.
The mandatory EPA training and Annual Review of Generator’s Hazardous Waste Management Regulations, required by Sections 262.349 (a) and 265.16 in 40 CFR.
The mandatory OSHA Annual Review of the “First Responder Awareness Level” for all employees who may come in contact with or be exposed to Hazardous Materials, Chemical, Substances and Waste, including all Shippers, Generators, Drivers, Carriers/Transporters Personnel, required by Section 1910.120(q) in 29 CFR.
Requirements for the Annual DOT Registration Certificate, including the 2003 Security Awareness Education.
The New DOT 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table review.
The New Shipping Paper and Manifest Information Requirements.

Automotive Career Training Opportunities for High School Students

Puget Sound Automobile Dealers Association (PSADA) has made a strong commitment to attract Washington high-school students into careers in the automotive field through its sponsorship and support of the Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES) in high schools throughout the state. AYES is an industry-wide “school-to-career” program available for high school students in an effort to address the nationwide scarcity of qualified service technicians. AYES forms a partnership among participating automotive manufacturers, participating dealers, and selected high schools/tech prep schools.

Qualified high school students take challenging classroom/laboratory courses in basic automotive technology and are placed as an intern at a dealership where they will work under the guidance of a “mentor” (an experienced technician). While at the dealership the students will develop both their technical and communication skills enabling them to become valuable employees.

PSADA recognizes the need for such partnerships and offers constant support to Ron Olson, AYES Manager for Washington State, and to the program needs in an effort to connect the dealerships with high school students who have already received some standardized training and displayed significant interest in the industry.

For more information about AYES please visit AYES online at www.ayes.org or call Jim Hammond, PSADA, (206) 542-3551 jim@psada.com or Ron Olson, AYES Manager, (206) 962-1591 ron@psada.com.