Take Your First Career Step With Automotive Pre-Apprenticeship Training

Within the automotive industry, especially the automotive service technician sector, hands-on training is essential to obtaining a job. Employers want you to come to work with some sort of previous experience, which is where apprenticeships come in. Apprenticeships are a system of learning by doing. They consist of on-the-job training with an employer and related class studies in automotive schools. Apprenticeships vary in length, depending on the trade. However, sometimes even the competition for apprenticeships can be tough. That’s why Centennial College has developed its Automotive Pre-Apprenticeship Training.

The focus of the undertaking is to help you to improve your chances at being a top candidate to obtain an apprenticeship position. It is ideal for a few different categories of people and is offered at no cost. For example, anyone wishing to improve his or her skills and gain insight into the automotive industry may find this automotive training beneficial. In addition, if someone is unemployed and looking to return to the workforce, has left school early or is new to Canada, this program may be for them.

To apply for this training in Centennial's automotive school, you must possess an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent and be employed as an apprentice. However, you cannot apply directly to the college or ontariocolleges.ca for admission. For general information about apprenticeship registration, please contact the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. Check out the contact information by visiting Centennial College’s Automotive Pre-Apprenticeship Training admissions page.

The automotive training last 36 weeks, during which you will gain knowledge of automotive and truck/coach technology in a modern lab setting and have help obtaining a 12-week job placement. During your in-school session, you will also update your English and math/computer and job-readiness skills (such as resume writing and interview techniques). Meanwhile, your field experience will see you working in a repair garage, car dealership or truck operation.

Once you complete the Automotive Pre-Apprenticeship undertaking, you will be ready to partake in an apprenticeship program. These programs are a major employment growth area because of the number of skilled workers who are set to retire. Therefore, the government continuously offers tax credits, scholarships and signing bonuses to encourage the hiring of apprentices for skills training. Also, graduates of the Automotive Pre-Apprenticeship training will receive credit for Truck and Coach Technician Level 1 or Automotive Service Technician Level one. This credit exempts them from some of the classes in the traditional apprenticeship program. It is the door you need to open to move up and begin a long-lasting career.

In 2008, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities also selected Centennial to offer the Pre-Apprenticeship program in Truck and Coach Technician. Ever since, these programs have been helping students to gain apprenticeships in many areas of the automotive field.

An Automotive Service Technician is Part of One of Canada’s Largest Industries

Have you always been fascinated with how a car engine works? Do you enjoy figuring out what’s wrong with your car when it breaks down? Do you like working with your hands? If you answered yes to any of these questions, a career in the transportation industry might be for you. The transportation industry is one of the largest in Canada and service technicians are in demand. The job of a service tech includes: inspecting, maintaining, and repairing automobiles that run on electricity, gasoline, or alternative fuels like ethanol. This professional is also responsible for executing basic care maintenance like tire rotations and oil changes, diagnosing complex problems, and planning and executing vehicle repair.

You can now get your foot in the door of the transportation field with Centennial College’s Automotive Service Technician Co-op, partnered with the Toronto Automobile Dealer’s Association. The training begins with eight months in school, which is an essential component of the apprenticeship. During this time, you will participate in courses that are geared to making you job-ready for the on-the-job aspect of the undertaking. Many of these aren’t your typical lecture courses, as you actually train on automotive assemblies in fully equipped campus automotive labs in the province’s largest transportation training centre, Ashtonbee campus. The vehicles on which you work reflect the products sold by supporting T.A.D.A dealerships. Some of the hands-on courses include: Engine Systems, Drive Train Systems, Suspension/Steering Brakes, Air Conditioning Systems and much more. In addition, you will take courses in general education, English and the automotive trade. These lecture-type courses are meant to prepare you for administrative roles, should you go in that direction. They include: Work Practices, Occupational Health & Safety, College Communications, Organizational Behaviour, Auto body Estimating, Fixed Operations Management and more. The well-rounded training means that upon graduation from Centennial College, you’ll also be eligible to work as a service writer, instructor or professor, automotive company representative, advisor and service manager. Automotive Training imparted at Centennial, makes students well equipped in the industry.

Once you have successfully completed eight months in school, you move onto the eight month co-op portion of the Automotive Service Technician program. The training takes place in a T.A.D.A dealership, where you apply everything you learned about vehicles to real-life situations. You also gain additional knowledge by working alongside experienced professionals who can share anecdotes and their own experiences with you. These professionals will also guide you in dealing with difficult customers and problem resolution. Many times, students are actually hired by the company at which they do their co-op placement.

To apply for the Automotive Service Technician Co-op Apprenticeship (with T.A.D.A), Centennial College expects you to present at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or General Educational Development (GED) or equivalent. In addition, a resume and transcript may be required and English proficiency may be considered. You must also attend a program admission session, during which you will fill out a questionnaire. Possession of minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the program.

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http://www.centennialcollege.ca/fasttrack/automotive

Centennial professor from the Automotive and Motorcycle programs honored by the Klaus Woerner Hall of Fame by Skills Canada

Dave Samalea, Professor/Coordinator of the Automotive and Motorcycle programs in the School of Transportation, is being honoured as one of the 2010 inductees into the Klaus Woerner Hall of Fame by Skills Canada – Ontario. Dave is one of nine recipients this year, all of whom made significant contributions to the advancement of skilled trades and technologies in Ontario.

Dave has toiled relentlessly to ensure both college and high-school students gain the necessary education to excel in competition and in their future trade. He has been a regular volunteer in the Skills Canada – Ontario contests in Kitchener every year, and remains a sterling ambassador for the automotive trades.

Dave has led a team of SoT faculty and students to put together the TADA Skills Competition at the Canadian International AutoShow for the past 11 years, with the goal of fostering interest in the motive-power skilled trades by a new generation. Dave will be accompanying the Canadian student contingent to New York City next month to take on the Americans in a similar competition there.

Dave possesses 20 years of rich teaching experience complemented by 15 years of automotive trade experience garnered at a major GM dealership and several aftermarket service outlets. He has extensive experience in developing and initiating many technical skills programs, as well as assessing college curriculum. Dave is a founding member of the CITI Motive Power Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program Steering Committee.

The induction ceremony for Dave Samalea, along with the other eight honourees, will take place at the Skills Canada – Ontario "Building Futures, One Dream at a Time" fundraising gala this evening (March 5) at Bingeman's in Kitchener. Congratulations to Dave for his wonderful award and for his outstanding contributions to the skilled-trades training he champions both here at Centennial and outside in the community.

We're all very proud of your accomplishments!

Apprenticeship Path to a Career

Trevor Thompson registering for the Modified Apprenticeship Program in Truck and Coach in August 2008 (inset). The larger picture shows Trevor (on the right) in his work placement with the City of Toronto (Fleet Maintenance) this past December.

Trevor is thankful for the help he has received from the Ministry (Marieke Vander-Meiden) and SoT staff (Professors Thompson, Dixon and Tamburro) in pursuing his goal of becoming a licensed technician with the City of Toronto. He moved to Scarborough last year because he was interested in studying at Centennial.

He started with the Con. Ed. Department by taking night courses on Steering, Suspensions and Brakes while being employed during the day at East Spring Service. When he heard about the opportunity to study full time in the Modified Truck and Coach Co-op he did not hesitate to quit his job to pursue full time studies. With a little support from EI and his savings account, Trevor has remained focused upon his goals of continuing to achieve credentials in the Transportation industry.

His professors are receiving very good reports on his field placements. He even volunteered to stay on for an additional three weeks in his placement with the City of Toronto. Trevor is impressed “with the amazing diversity of people and the variety of equipment in the Fleet Maintenance Department.”

We can expect to see Trevor around our campus for some time yet as he continues to build upon his successes by enrolling in full and part-time programs with the School of Transportation. Visit Automotive schools to find more information about your apprenticeship training.