Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Motive Power Technician Program Combines Practical Experience and Theory-Based Lectures

Did you know all you require to apply for Centennial College’s Motive Power Technician program (or Motive Power Technician (Automotive) – Technical program as it is officially known) is at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent or be19 years of age or older; compulsory English 12C or U credit or skills assessment, or equivalent and the Math 11M or U, or 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent. These requirements make the Motive Power Technician offering from other automotive programs that require students to be already employed in the field. However, it should be noted that possession of minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the program.


The Motive Power Technician program is geared towards preparing all students for a career in the automotive field. The emphasis of this offering is on motor vehicle technology, which is taught through a combination of theory and practical training. Taking two years to complete, the first semester of Motive Vehicle Technician offers courses that are common to both the administration and technical streams. This structure gives students the chance to determine which aspect of the industry interests them more. Among the topics covered in this first semester are: applied mechanics, engines, transmissions, fuels, alignment, vehicle technology, mathematics and more. Students then move onto learn about component design, transportation administration, applied vehicle dynamics, and higher levels of topics offered in the first semester. The last two semesters are concerned with offering students the highest level of topics such as engines, alignment, transmission and others such as air conditioning, technical drawings, properties of materials and more.

Weaved into all Motive Power Technician courses are labs that include a transmission lab, engine lab, fuels, electrical, electronics, and chassis systems. These labs are equipped with cars, car parts and the most up-to-date tools that are found in the industry. These facilities are further supported by the fact Ashtonbee Campus, which houses all of Centennial College’s automotive programs, is the largest transportation training centre in the province of Ontario. As such, students have the opportunity to network with peers and instructors from similar programs.

All of the in-school content taught in this motor vehicle technician program is the same as the Automotive Service Technician (AST) apprenticeship qualification. This ensures students are prepared to enter the industry as well as be successful on exemption testing for licensing qualification. Students who decide to pursue a career upon completing the Motive Power Technician program can apply for jobs as automotive apprentices, service advisors, lead hands, repair technicians, automotive service and parts management or automotive import/ export.

It is also worth noting that the Canadian Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) National Accreditation Board both accredit Motive Power Technician program.

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