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TO THE MEMBERS OF THE SKILL PANEL FOR INCUMBENT WORKERS IN THE AUTOMOTIVE SALES AND SERVICE INDUSTRY:
“If you build it, they will come” is more than a popular phrase from a recent motion picture. It is what Shoreline Community College is trying to do with the guidance, participation, and insight from the members of the Skill Panel: to build the ladder and lattices that will provide the opportunities and the training for lifelong career advancement for incumbent workers in the automotive sales and service industry. In today's rapidly changing and technically challenging workplace, few members of the automotive industry can be insulated from the impact of technology or the need for training if they are to enjoy successful and sustained careers. With you, we intend to harness the technology and to provide the training for those workers.
Shoreline has been chosen by the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration as one of ten automotive industry grantees under the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative program. This industry is one of twelve sectors of the USA economy which has been identified as experiencing over the 2002–2012 decade a serious need for trained personnel which cannot be met without more and better workforce training programs which will expand and enhance the pool of trained personnel. One aspect of Shoreline's grant will develop and disseminate a new NATEF-certified entry level automotive technician program, the General Service Training program, which will be aimed primarily at secondary schools across the country.
The other component of Shoreline's grant is to combine the talents, experience and perspective of leaders of the automotive sales and service industry, educators, workforce training professionals, and government agencies to provide career training pathways for automotive industry personnel. It will be the mission of our Skill Panel to define and determine the core competencies, work place abilities and personal skills for each of the major occupations within the automotive industry and to design and develop the training programs that will enable and empower automotive industry personnel to enjoy lifelong career advancement within the industry. Our project has been designated by the DOL/ETA as a national demonstration model to be widely replicated and disseminated throughout the United States. The work of our Skill Panel will have an impact and influence across the country, both now and in the future.
This is a big undertaking, but we have big people on our Skill Panel; we are appreciative of the contributions and commitments each of you will be making toward this important and innovative undertaking and proud and pleased at this opportunity to work with you.
Sincerely,
Cameron Hightower
Project Director
Automotive Sales & Service Career Training Pathways Project
Shoreline Community College |
