Tomorrow's Technician August 2012 : Page 6
edited by Tomorrow’s Technician staff Each month, Tomorrow’s Technician takes a look at some of the automotive-related student competitions taking place in this country, as well as the world. Throughout the year in “Finish Line,” we will highlight not only the programs and information on how schools can enter, but we’ll also profile some of the top competitors in those programs. Because there are good students in these events, we feel it’s time to give these competitors the recognition they deserve. Career Builder: By Bill Holder STUDENTS PUT ENGINE BUILDING SKILLS TO THE TEST Photos by Phil Kunz General Motors ASEP Program, the Chrysler CAP Program, the Honda PACT Program and the Comprehensive Program, which covers automotive service for all brands. There are also two one-year certificate programs that include the Ford MLR pieces, while others show up with old, and sometimes rusty, junkyard parts. It’s a laid-back atmosphere during the nine months of the build-up. And there is a close relationship with the instructors. Surprisingly, the age range of the students in a recent class varied between 19 and 65. For some older technicians and mechanics, servicing vehicles and tearing down engines was some-thing learned on the job. For others like yourself, automotive skills are honed at an automotive program at a high school or technical college. According to an employment forecast from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), between 2010 and 2020, the nation’s workforce will add positions for 124,800 automotive service technicians and mechanics. The BLS expects the nation will add another 32,700 automotive body and glass repairers and 13,800 painting and coating workers in those 10 years. While some may say that growth rate is not explosive, the labor department foresees steady employment for those with training and certification. And though many high school automo-tive programs have been cut or reduced due to funding, community colleges and technical schools are seeing steady enroll-ment in their automotive programs. In fact, Automotive Technology is one of the big names of the game at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, OH. Sinclair has been entrenched in that dis-cipline since the 1970s, but its automotive training actually stretches back to earlier in 20th century. Currently, there are some 530 students in the Auto Technology program. A majority of them are striving for associate degrees in one of four programs: the (Maintenance Light Repair) and the High Performance Program. And it’s that latter program that will be addressed in this article. There is no assigned engine type or model from the instructor; it is the choice of the student. It is also the responsibility of the student to provide all the parts and pieces for his particular build-up. The stu-dents explained that sometimes the parts cost up to $5,000-$6,000, but nobody’s complaining here. It’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Needless to say, the starting point for these build-ups is quite different. Some of the build-ups start off with new parts and In this issue of the magazine, two of the engine build-ups will be discussed. Two more will follow in a later issue. Engine Build-Up #1 Kasey King , from Coshocton, OH, started the course when he was only 19. He came with experience though, having two years of automotive voca-tional training in high school. Since his interest was performance engines, King took the opportunity of using a technical school to hone his skills. The starting point of his effort was a trashed 454 engine from a ’73 GMC pick-up. The plan was to bore and stoke the 6 TOMORROWSTECHNICIAN.COM 08.12
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