Driving the Future: 
Testing the Next Generation of Auto Technicians

On Friday, Feb. 5, Clark College will welcome students from 12 regional high schools at Future Tech 2010

 

VANCOUVER, Wash. – In the next 10 years, jobs for trained automotive service technicians and mechanics are expected to increase by five percent.  To help meet that future demand, Clark College will host Future Tech 2010 on Friday, Feb. 5. 

Fifty students from 12 regional high schools will participate.  Washington students from the Clark County Skills Center, Mountain View High School, and Prairie High School will be joined by students from Aloha High School, Benson High School, David Douglas High School, Hillsboro High School, and Sabin-Schellenberg Technical School in the greater Portland area.  In addition, students from Estacada High School, Silverton High School, Siuslaw High School in Florence, and West Lane Technical Learning Center in Elmira will participate.

The Future Tech Competition is comprised of a written Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) style exam and a series of bench tests covering steering and suspension, brakes, electrical diagnostics and engine performance.  Students will rotate through all of the tests.

Doors will open at 7:30 a.m. in Clark’s Automotive Technology Building, located on the southwest corner of Clark’s main campus in Vancouver.  The building is located on McLoughlin Blvd. between Fort Vancouver Way and E. Reserve Street.   Parking will be available in the college’s orange parking lots.  Parking maps and driving directions are available at www.clark.edu/maps.

Testing will begin at 8:30 a.m.  The awards presentation will take place at 3:00 p.m.  The winning team will receive an all-expense paid trip to the National Automotive Technology Competition, which will be held in New York City on April 6-7, 2010.  Trophies, plaques and certificates will also be presented to the top finishers.  Additional information about the National Automotive Technology Competition is available at www.nationalautotech.com.

The Future Tech Competition is coordinated by the Metro Portland New Car Dealers Association with support from Carson Oil Company and the following partnerships: Toyota T-TEN and Clark College, General Motors ASEP and Portland Community College, Chrysler CAP and Mt. Hood Community College, Honda PACT and Mt. Hood Community College, Ford ASSET and Mt. Hood Community College, and IMPORT and Mt. Hood Community College.

Employment of automotive service technicians and mechanics is expected to increase by five percent between 2008 and 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).  The BLS notes that “Opportunities should be good for those who complete postsecondary automotive training programs, as some employers report difficulty finding workers with the right skills; those without formal automotive training are likely to face competition for entry-level jobs.”

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