Program of Study: Automotive Technology

CIP Code: 47.0604 - Information Page

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Automotive Technology program is designed to provide the knowledge necessary to service and repair automotive equipment and to develop skills in the use of tools, service and diagnostic equipment. It is intended to provide the automotive industry with young men and women who are familiar with all phases of automotive construction, design, operation, and troubleshooting. Students are taught proper attitudes and to respect and cooperate with fellow workers. Safe working habits are emphasized.

CERTIFICATIONS

• National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) Exam

A STUDENT IN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY WILL LEARN:

• Proper safety instruction.  Proper use of hand tools, power tools, precision measuring instruments.

• Plan work procedures, using charts, technical manuals, and experience.

• Identify problems, often by using computerized diagnostic equipment.  Perform basic care and maintenance, including changing oil, checking fluid levels, and rotating tires.  Follow checklists to ensure that all critical parts are examined.  Test parts and systems to ensure that they work properly.  Explain automotive problems and repairs to clients.

• Electrical system diagnosis.  Internal engine repair.  Hydraulic cylinder repair.  Repair or replace worn parts, such as brake pads, wheel bearings, and sensors.  Instruction in wheel alignment, brakes, steering, and suspension.

• Instruction in gas engine fundamentals and diesel engine fundamentals.

• Perform repairs to manufacturer and customer specifications.

CAREER PATHWAYS

• Automotive Air-Conditioning Technician

• Aviation Mechanic **

• Brake Technician

• Diesel Service Mechanic **

• Drivability Technician

• Front-End Technician

• Small Engine Mechanic

• Transmission technician and rebuilder

(** = Associate Degree)

SKILLS TO DEVELOP

• Communication/Customer-service skills. Service technicians discuss automotive problems—along with options to fix them—with their customers. Because workers may depend on repeat clients for business, they must be courteous, good listeners, and ready to respond to customers’ questions.

• Detail oriented. Service technicians should be aware of small details when inspecting or repairing vehicle systems, because mechanical and electronic malfunctions are often due to misalignments or other easy-to-miss causes.

• Dexterity. Service technicians perform many tasks that require steady hands and good hand–eye coordination, such as assembling or attaching components and subassemblies.

• Mathematical skills. Service technicians should be able to conduct appraisals to inform customers of potential repairs.

• Mechanical skills. Service technicians should be familiar with engine components and systems and know how they interact with each other. They often must take apart major parts for repairs and be able to put them back together properly.

• Organizational skills. Service technicians must keep workspaces clean and organized in order to maintain safety and ensure accountability of parts.

• Physical strength. Service technicians must sometimes lift and maneuver heavy parts such as engines and body panels.

• Troubleshooting skills. Service technicians use diagnostic equipment on engine systems and components in order to identify and fix problems in increasingly complicated mechanical and electronic systems. They must be familiar with electronic control systems and the appropriate tools needed to fix and maintain them.

COMMON CORE STANDARD INTEGRATION:

• Technical Reading: Main Idea & Text Evidence, Vocabulary & Symbols, Author’s Purpose, Text Structure (Compare/Contrast, Multi-Step Procedure, Description, & Qualitative/Technical Information into Visual Forms via Chart or Table) Multiple Sources

• Mathematics: Numbers & Operations, Geometry

STATE BOARD/ POST SECONDARY/UNION RESOURCES

• Coming soon

LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR FUTURE CAREER:

• BLS: CLICK HERE

• CareerOneStop: CLICK HERE