Automotive Service Technician Training Can Prepare You for Work with Canadian Tire

Employing 58,000 people, Canadian Tire and its Associate Dealers together form Canada's most-shopped general merchandise retailer, with 482 stores from coast-to-coast. Canadian Tire offers customers a large selection of national and retail brands through three specialty categories in which the organization is the market leader - automotive parts, accessories and service; sports and leisure products; and home products. Also offered are automotive services such as engines fixes, brake changes, windshield wipers and fluid level checks, and muffler, hose, belt and plug replacements. Essentially, if a repair is needed, it’s up to Canadian Tire automotive service technicians to find a way to get it done. Before being employed by Canadian Tire, one must attend an automotive service technician apprenticeship.

At Centennial College, Ontario's first community college, students can study at such an apprenticeship, which is partnered with Canadian Tire but yet designed to be product-generic and cover a broad-range of makes and models from the automotive industry. Therefore, it doesn’t limit one from working at other places of employment should they choose to.

Taking a year to complete, automotive service technician training with the Automotive Service Technician Canadian Tire MAP 32 program is more in-depth than the training one would obtain in a traditional apprenticeship. The in-school portion is conducted from Ashtonbee Campus, which is a fully-equipped transportation training centre. In fact, it is the biggest training centre of its sort in Ontario. For the in-school portion of the program, Canadian Tire supplies the tools and equipment with which you will be training. This makes it convenient to ensure that you are familiar with the tools of this particular company, as the hands-on part of the automotive service technician training takes place at a Canadian Tire dealer. Field placement gives students the opportunity to face real life scenarios, apply what they have learned, network and gain insight into the industry from seasoned professionals.

To apply for the one-year program, students are required to present at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or GED or equivalent. They should also be employed by a Canadian Tire dealership or selected through an interview process. For this automotive service technician apprenticeship, candidates may apply directly to Centennial College. As space in the program is limited, acceptance is based on successful completion of all entry requirements. Successful applicants must obtain an employer and then register as a MAP apprentice with the Apprenticeship Branch of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.