GM Technician Training Encompasses All of the Latest GM Vehicle Systems

“All of the students who qualify to enter the [GM technician training] at Centennial College have to be working at a General Motors dealership as well as be an apprentice in a General Motors dealer,” says Peter Loken, an instructor at Centennial College’s Automotive Service Technician General Motors of Canada ASEP (MAP 32), as it is officially known. “It is a co-op program where we end up spending eight weeks in class then eight weeks at the dealership, hopefully getting experience in the areas that we have just been trained in.”

This great overview of the GM technician training offers insight into the application process and one of the program’s standout features. Let’s take a closer look at both.

First and foremost, aside from already being employed in the field, applicants must also possess at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or a GED or equivalent. It should be noted that if students are not currently General Motors employees, they might also be selected through an interview process. Once they’ve been accepted, they’ll have to obtain an employer and register as a MAP apprentice with the Apprenticeship Branch of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. Acceptance to the GM technician training is based on successful completion of all entry requirements and space is limited.

As Peter mentioned, one of the program highlights is that future General Motors technicians have the advantage of spending time during their training in-school and with their employer (32 weeks with each). Specific courses students attend during the in-school portion of GM technician training include: Motor Vehicle Engine Systems, Electrical, Electronics & Fuel Systems; Gear Trains, Applied Work Practices & Procedures; Steering, Suspension & Brakes; and more. Additionally, while on campus GM technician training students learn all of the latest GM vehicle systems, with emphasis on diagnosis and repair, following recommended GM service procedures. A large portion of the program involves vehicle electrical and electronic systems diagnosis and repair in labs at Ashtonbee Campus, the provinces largest transportation training centre. Students may be eligible for employment insurance during the in-class GM technician training.

During the time students alternate to sessions with their employer, as Peter mentioned, students apply what they have learned and obtain new knowledge in order to come back to Centennial College prepared to master more advanced topics.

Upon graduation, GM technician technicians receive up to 21 GM Dealer Technician Training Credits and an Ontario College Certificate. In the field, they have responsibilities that include: reviewing work orders; road testing motor vehicles, and testing automotive systems and components; changing, repairing or replacing parts and components of automotive systems; testing and changing repaired systems to the required standards; performing scheduled maintenance service, such as oil changes, lubrications and tune-ups; advising customers on work performed, general vehicle conditions and future repair requirement.