General Motors, one of the world’s largest automotive manufacturers, has donated five vehicles to Wayne Community College for its automotive training program.
The 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, 2011 GMC Yukon, 2013 Chevrolet Silvarado, and 2012 Cadillac CTS are being used to train aspiring technicians enrolled in the GM’s Automotive Service Educational Program (ASEP) at the college.
“We are proud to support training programs that prepare the next generation of automotive technicians,” said Rick Jackson, manager for GM ASEP. “Our commitment to our customers goes well beyond building a quality product. Our dedication to excellence starts at the training level by partnering with schools in communities around the globe to share our collective passion for the automotive industry and educate, inspire and motivate the technicians of tomorrow.”
“Wayne Community College plays an important role in helping the auto industry fill a critical need: developing and retaining skilled automotive technicians,” said GM ASEP Coordinator/ Instructor David Byrd. “This generous donation from GM enables us to deliver the highest quality education to our students.”
Michael Vincent, service director at CCOG, the Chevrolet dealership in Goldsboro, agreed that WCC’s GM ASEP is “definitely a great program. We have lots of graduates who work with us and a lot who are still in the program who are still training. The ones who came out of this program have excelled at our dealership. The program has definitely made them ready for real world experience.”
Corporate donations such as this one end up helping his dealership, Vincent said, because his future technicians are training on vehicles they will service. “The Equinox and Cruze are our hot selling items and we see a lot of them for maintenance and repairs. Getting familiar with the engines on these vehicles will be very helpful for the students.”
WCC’s ASEP program combines classroom, lab, and on-the-job learning to provide a strong academic foundation as well as the analytical and technical skills that are GM specific. The curriculum prepares students to take the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence exam and to be employed in dealerships and repair shops. Successful graduates earn an associate in applied science degree in automotive systems technology.
The college also offers an Automotive Systems Technology/Multiple Manufacturer Automotive Technician Educational Program that leads to certificates and degrees.
For more information about WCC’s automotive technology programs, go to www.waynecc.edu or call (919) 739-6819 or (919) 739-6820.
For more information on GM ASEP, visit www.gmasep.org.
About GM ASEP
Since 1979, GM’s continued commitment to identify and support the GM ASEP colleges and universities has produced over 16,000 service technicians. GM ASEP incorporates advanced automotive technical training with a strong academic foundation of math, reading, and electronics, and both analytical and technical skills. Students can earn an Associate’s Degree while working and learning on the job, resulting in a solid education combined with invaluable work experience. More information can be found at www.gmasep.org.
About WCC
Wayne Community College is a public, two-year college with an open-door admission policy located in Goldsboro, N.C. As it works to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce, it serves 15,000 individuals annually as well as businesses, industry and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 100 college credit programs.