[Music]
[Music]
[Narrator] At Gateway Technical College,
the Automotive Technology program
provides a hands-on training
and education you need for a successful
career in an automotive repair facility.
[Instructor] We're here at the Horizon Center. We have, in
the automotive program, we have
two programs: a two-year associate
degree, and a one-year technical diploma.
Our one-year technical diploma
and the first year associate degree
program are identical.
Okay, so basically the students that enroll in the
in the two-year technical diploma at the end of their first year do qualify for the technical certificate.
[Narrator] The Automotive Maintenance
Technician Technical Certificate
provides an introduction to a essential
automotive servicing techniques
including the testing,
repairing, and rebuilding of basic
automotive systems.
[Instructor] We start our students out
with the fundamentals course and
then they go on to brakes and suspension.
And then a little bit more in the
second semester, we had a little bit more
complex topic. So basic engine
repair,
air conditioning.
And it's kind of a stepping stone, so each
semester builds on the previous semester.
At any point, we're constantly
building the student's skills to make
them employable.
[Narrator] Busy students can enjoy the benefits of a flexible class schedule. That includes
day and evening classes.
[Student] They have morning and evening. I mean,
it doesn't get too much better than that, especially the hour requirements that you need to
get coursework done.
[Instructor] So the typical day for student would involve
coming in the classroom, there will be some lecture covering the material,
the instructor will demonstrate the tasks at hand,
and then the students will get a chance to practice. Our class periods are five
hours long.
All right, and that's going to involve a
combination of lecture
and hands-on lab activities.
[Student] Either when
I'm working on my car or
a car that's provided to me to work on, I look at it as gaining experience
and that's something that's value, you
know. No amount of time or money can gain
you experience, you know.
You have to do in order to gain that.
[Narrator] As a National Automotive
Educational Foundation or NATEF
certified school,
Gateway Technical College is recognized
as upholding the highest quality training
for an automotive technician program.
[Instructor] Our NATEF certification
ties in with the ASE certification. And
the NATEF certification allows a
student to know
that our program is competent.
Or it meets, specifically, that the
skills that we are teaching them
will apply directly to the repair
industry. You know, the days of
the 'grease monkey', so to speak, those are long gone. Automotive technology today
involves -- it's computers.
[Instructor] The technicians today, they're not
hammer technicians, like they were in the
future. They're kind of, they're very very bright.
They can do just about anything.
It's not more banging around. It's more,
you have to be incredibly
bright now to fix these cars.
[Narrator] The automotive lab at the Horizon Center is a fully equipped auto repair shop.
Featuring lifts, state-of-the-art vehicle
diagnostic
and repair equipment. Through a strong
partnership with Snap-on Incorporated,
the automotive lab house the most
up-to-date Snap-on equipment.
[Instructor] When they started with the Horizon Center,
because of Snap-on's partnership,
in which we're very fortunate to have Snap-on
here locally as well, but
we got involved in, as well, and the
facility in Kenosha,
the Horizon Center, probably one of the finest in the country, is very
forward-looking. That places is really really advanced
[Student] We have great sponsors, so
we usually have everything we need in the lab to get it done. If we don't,
there's always a way to get it.
[Instructor] We also use Gateway
for our automotive technicians,
where we have a young guy working for us right now at our new Kenosha,
our Chevrolet store in Kenosha. And he
came through Gateway and he's just a
great young man.
[Instructor] For auto technology, the job outlook is very good. Traditionally,
there tends to be a shortage
of technicians.
Currently,
out of our current graduates, actually for the past several years, both of our graduates
are employed prior to the,
actually, prior to graduation.
After two to three years, or two to five
years in the field,
your average technician is making
somewhere around 30 to 40,
and then at the 10-year mark, 60,000
is probably the average,
with the upper end easily being in the six figures.
[Instructor] We have a lot of opportunities  within our businesses.
A lot of careers. And people don't realize
that
somebody can be a technician and can
make, I don't know, 80...90...100,000
dollars.
[Student] Actually, I plan on taking my
particular experience at the program,
and starting off small, as you usually do. But hopefully,
you know, with everything going the way  I want, I hope to be able to manage my own shop.
And that's part of the reason that motivated me to come here.
[Narrator] To learn more about the Automotive Technology Program, please visit
gtc.edu/automotive-training-programs
