GM is involved in a number of technical apprenticeship and education programs that help in training new technicians for dealerships. Developing a technician takes an investment in time by both the candidate and the dealership. (Fig. 1) In order to accommodate GM dealerships’ needs to hire the right people to perform a complex job, these development programs offer training that can be completed in varying time periods ranging from four days to two years.
Fig. 1
Here’s a look at the training and development programs available to GM dealerships.
GM START
The GM START (Service Technical Automotive Readiness Training) program helps aspiring technicians perform basic service repairs and maintenance on customer vehicles. GM START is aimed at dealership employee technician candidates who aren’t a good fit for opportunities presented through the ASE Education Foundation and GM ASEP. It’s also of value to other dealership personnel, such as porters, service consultants, and parts consultants.
GM START features over 90 technical and non-technical self-paced courses. Learners’ progress can be reviewed the same way as GM Service Technical College.
GM START offers dealers the opportunity to build upon their technician base, enabling learning when it is convenient. The main objective of GM START is to help dealers build their business and enhance customer satisfaction with more experienced, trained personnel.
Maintenance Inspection Technician
GM began offering the Maintenance Inspection Technician (MIT) learning path in 2013 to complement the existing Service Technician learning path and enable dealerships to develop their own technicians. MIT is intended for entry-level technicians and provides a way to transition to the professional technician job role.
Upon successful completion of the MIT learning path, a candidate could progress into the role of a Technician Apprentice. This path enables the individual to perform Included Maintenance.
Boot Camps
Boot Camps are for aspiring dealership employee technician apprentices who may have vocational out of shop experience but have not pursued post-secondary education in automotive technology. It’s also perfect for technicians who want to sharpen a specific skill set through Instructor Led Training. The Boot Camps offer immersion in a single, hands-on topic; for example, Automatic Transmission Mechanical Fundamentals and Braking Systems Fundamentals.
ASE Education Foundation
Automotive Service Education (ASE) has designed a program that aligns schools, students, instructors, training managers, and employers in a universal system that meets the needs of dealerships and students. Non OE-specific automotive training programs for high school and college students who are interested in an automotive service technology career is offered at secondary and post-secondary schools across the U.S.
The ASE Education Foundation is a non-profit organization that evaluates and accredits entry-level automotive technology education programs against standards developed by the automotive service industry. It also develops career-readiness education for students that fuse local partnerships, rigorous standard-based education, workplace experience, and mentorship together.
Shifting Gears
Shifting Gears is a partnership between GM, the U.S. Army, and Raytheon Professional Services for soldiers transitioning out of the U.S. Army. It consists of a 12-week training program that provides eligible soldiers with the necessary skills to become service technicians at GM dealerships.
GM Technician Career Training
GM has partnered with Universal Technical Institute (UTI), a post-secondary technical school that offers a basic 51-week automotive training curriculum, to customize a 12-week, GM-specific curriculum for graduates of the basic program called GM Technician Career Training. The accelerated program offers specialized training on Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac procedures, equipment and vehicles in order to prepare graduates to work immediately in GM dealerships with a skill set suited for entry-level work.
GM ASEP
The GM Automotive Service Educational Program (GM ASEP) is a joint effort between GM, GM dealers, ACDelco Professional Service Center Program Members, and select colleges across the United States, Canada, China, and Ecuador. Designed specifically for students interested in earning an Associate’s degree in Automotive Technology (or similar), it incorporates advanced automotive technical training with a strong academic foundation of math, reading, and electronics. Participants develop both analytical and technical skills using GM products as part of their preparation for a career as a GM technician.
Students alternate between classes at over 50 colleges and universities in the U.S. and hands-on work experience at a sponsoring GM dealership or ACDelco Professional Service Center.
GM Service Technical College Web-Based Training
Two GM Web-Based Training (WBT) courses are available that focus on acquiring and developing technicians in the dealership.
Optimizing Current Technician Production (VMVOC.018W) reviews how promoting and fostering a “production first” mindset and having the tools to support it will help increase efficiencies, employee and customer retention, and profitability. This will enable learners to utilize best practices around setting and tracking production goals, managing shop loading, and optimizing work schedules that decrease technician turnover.
Recruiting & Developing Technician Talent (VMVOC.018W2) explores how to increase shop capacity and gross profit. The course discusses each of three ways to build staff: use established GM training programs, recruit from outside, and develop technician talent from within.
– Thanks to Heidi Korte
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