Automotive program named top 20 in U.S.

Students from the automotive class at TTCN hold up copies of Tomorrow's Technician, which recently labeled the school's department as being one of top in the nation. Joining the group is their instructor, Jim Stafford. Front row from left: Ashli Fowler, Austin Gregory, Zeb Livingston, John Andrew, Brandon Cunningham, Adam Davis and Stafford. Back row from left: Mark Roberson, Thomas Marbrey, Casey Buckingham and Brian Milligan.

TTCN's automotive program enables students to obtain a thorough understanding of the design, construction and theory of the operation within the automotive systems and their relationship to the complete automobile. Working with both secondary and postsecondary students, the program is designed to prepare individuals for a career in today's high-tech automotive repair industry. Units of instruction are broken down into the same areas used by ASE (National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence).

Students receive training on the most up-do-date equipment and vehicles available, plus older models. Upon completion of the program, all students are eligible to take the ASE Certification test. Students are trained in operating diagnostic equipment, making quick and accurate diagnoses of complex problems, using critical thinking skills and online resources to determine solutions, and repairing vehicles as cost-effectively as possible.

The automotive program at TTCN is the first and only postsecondary school in the state with an Automotive Youth Educational System program. It's also one of only four schools in the state to offer Ford Motor Company Maintenance and Light Repair training and certification. Currently, TTCN is one of only 10 technical schools in the United States, in partnership with Girl Scouts of America, to receive a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor/Bridgestone Tire to teach teen girls responsible car ownership and operation. TTCN is also one of the first postsecondary schools in the state to offer online training and provides General Motors and other OEMs with remote training facilities for dealers and technicians.

"The honor that comes to TTCN is the fact that there are probably more than 2500 automotive programs in the nation and to make the top 20 means that we now know that we are providing one of the very best automotive repair training programs that a person can receive right here in Newbern," said Mary Jane Chapman, Technology Foundations instructor. "Students don't have to travel to large cities to receive the best training. When our automotive program is compared to any other in the country, we can definitely be proud, and our students can say that they were trained at one of the best schools in the country."