A new state task force will develop programs for training auto technicians and enabling participants to directly transition into the industry. Gov. Andrew Cuomo on April 20 announced the “Excelsior Automotive Technician Task Force” at the opening of the New York International Auto Show. Cuomo directed the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) […]
A new state task force will develop programs for training auto technicians and enabling participants to directly transition into the industry.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on April 20 announced the “Excelsior Automotive Technician Task Force” at the opening of the New York International Auto Show.
Cuomo directed the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to take the lead in organizing the task force. The group will also “strive to create opportunities to enhance diversity within the industry,” according to a news release from the governor’s office.
“One of the things we’re going to do here in this state is change our education system, where the State University of New York [SUNY] is going to offer specialized training in tandem with the manufacturers so that you can go to school and come out as a Nissan-certified technician or a Honda-certified technician or a BMW technician,” Cuomo said. “We have over 75,000 technician jobs that are good jobs, high-paying jobs, and we want to educate New Yorkers for those jobs right here in New York. This new task force will set us on that path.”
Many current vocational programs offer a generalized technician program, but training that is more specific could better help students and companies, the state says. Typically, auto manufacturers require a “unique” training program to teach prospective technicians how to work on their vehicles. This work is currently happening at several SUNY schools where they are working with automotive companies like Subaru, Tesla, and Toyota.
“We applaud Gov. Cuomo for this innovative approach to strengthen New York’s competitive edge in training workers for the jobs of tomorrow,” Mark J.F. Schroeder acting DMV commissioner, said in the news release. “We look forward to working with all stakeholders to create a positive program that will benefit students and industry and ultimately the people who buy and drive cars.”
Areas of focus
The task force will convene stakeholders from the automotive, labor, manufacturing, and academic arenas to address several areas in the marketplace.
Those areas include improving the current automotive-technician curricula at the secondary and higher-education levels to “ensure it is keeping pace with technology.”
The group will also “identify and improve” current training models and facilities to “ensure they reflect modern workforce needs.”
Its effort will also seek to “replicate and scale” best practices and educational models to reach dealers and potential technicians in online space.
In addition, the group will also work to “develop and implement” professional-development programs for teachers and college professors to “ensure they are aligned with market needs.”
The marketplace areas also include creating new veteran and women-specific campaigns to “broaden the diversity” of the workforce, develop and invest in new re-training programs and apprenticeships to enable new and older workers to continue their careers, and explore options with prisons to create an automotive-technician reentry program, per the release.
