Students in the Mount Automotive Technology program come to us excited to start working in the shop and get their hands on the tools and the cars. We combine their classroom learning with hands-on work to help them master the basics and teach them the skill sets they need to work in the industry.
The partnerships we have with local dealerships and shops help us to develop our program to meet the industry needs. As such, we are evaluating the development of diesel and marine programs, in addition to our current focus on electronic vehicles (EV).
“Our concentration is on EV because we believe, and our partners are telling us, that it is where the future needs are,” notes Eric Almeida, Professor and Director of Automotive Technology Programs at MWCC. “We’ve applied for multiple grants to help fund our endeavors, but we also need to expand our vision for the program. We want to be the innovators; we want to be setting the standard. Our team is working hard make sure that we’re the first to the table with this technology.”
Anthony Putignano, Fixed Ops Manager for the McGovern Auto Group notes, “It is very important to have trained technicians. I’ve now personally worked with students from Mount, and I have seen the students that we’ve hired grow. It’s a lot better having a trained technician coming than trying to train them myself.”
“We are seeing a higher demand for EV trained technicians as those vehicles are hitting the market a lot quicker than anybody expected, Putignano adds. “Come 2027 it will be 50% of vehicles being sold. Trained technicians coming in with EV skills we will be a step ahead. In the next 10, 15, 20 years you’re not going to see a lot of ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles, so the students coming in now will be working on those from the very start at the dealership and will be able to grow through everything and understand those more than you know my age technicians that are there now.”
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Click here to learn more about MWCC’s Automotive Technology Degree or Certificate program.