By Carolina Espinal
The Toyota Technician Training and Education Network (T-TEN) recertification award luncheon was hosted on Wednesday, May 6th at Miami Lakes Educational Center.
The lunch was held to celebrate the renovation of the program and partnership between Toyota and Lexus. This program will offer several courses such as Introduction to Automotive Technology, Engine Repair, and Heating and Air Conditioning.
Toyota Motor Sales has selected our campus to host their T-TEN program. The National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation has certified MLEC due to “its outstanding ability to exceed their national standards as an automotive educational institution.”
Upon completion of this program–which lasts approximately two school years—students will earn the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification. This will pave the way towards a career in the automotive industry. For example, Toyota and Lexus dealerships will open up positions for those who complete the T-TEN Program and gain their ASE certification.
Despite the fact that the T-TEN program already exists in over 31 community colleges and technical schools across the nation, certain dealerships have brought up their concern with the quality of the graduates who complete the program.
“We decided it’s time to focus on the quality and graduates,” says Phillip Wolansky, a T-TEN Coordinator and instructor.
In order to ensure maximum satisfaction and quality, they gathered feedback from several schools and dealerships and reconstructed the T-TEN curriculum.
The program itself offers an advantageous experience. It allows students to attend school and work simultaneously with dealerships and ultimately, graduate with an ASE certification at MLEC.
Lexus and other dealerships also get something out of the bargain: they receive students who are already trained, certified, and can begin working immediately.
For Ashley Andiu, a T-TEN adult student at MLEC, the inspiration to pursue a career in the automotive industry came at a young age. “Ever since I was little, my dad used to work in cars and I used to help him out.”
In regards to the dealership’s plans to motivate students in becoming interested in the T-TEN program, Kenny Warren, Lexus Customer Service Operations Manager, feels that “more involvement from service managers at the local dealerships, more involvement in the T-TEN program and in the ASE program” will successfully inspire students in the industry.
If you’re an adult that is interested in a career in the automotive industry, check out mlec.dadeschools.net for more information.
