Program Seen as Job Engine

Phillip Smith, owner of Phillip’s Automation, Inc., left, looks on as Altamaha Technical College Automotive Technology students Tan Truong, right, and Alan Gatewood work on the brakes of a truck. Truong and Gatewood work with Smith through an internship in the Automotive Technology department.  (Bobby Haven/The Brunswick News)  

By ERIKA CAPEK The Brunswick News

The automotive technology program at Altamaha Technical College is paving the way for students to enter the field work-ready. With thousands of vehicles in Glynn County, that ought to be good for consumers.  "There is a huge shortage of qualified mechanics for automobiles today," said Scott Traficante, automotive instructor at Altamaha Technical College. "We offer our technicians a foundation with some of the fundamental concepts that they're going to need to get started in the field.

"About 35 to 40 students are enrolled in the program, which began in July 2009, at Altamaha Technical College's Brunswick and Jesup campuses. Students do more than just learn in the classroom. They receive real-life experience for class credit as unpaid interns at a variety of places, including Glynn County Public Works Department, Phillips Automotion, Carl Gregory Chrysler Jeep Dodge and Tires Plus, all in Brunswick.

At Altamaha Technical College, students can choose to enroll in the fundamental diploma program, where they learn basic automotive fundamentals. There is also the automotive technology diploma, which covers five additional advanced diagnostic courses. In addition, students can receive technical certifications of credit, which offer a specialized, focused course and fills a specific need.

"Going from doing and knowing nothing to Mr. Scott teaching me the basics and going into depth about procedures you have to do made me realize that it's so much more than it really is," said Alan Gatewood, a student in the program. "It's fun, too."

Traficante said during the past two years, the program has produced graduates who have taken jobs directly into the automotive field in Brunswick and St. Simons Island.

Nine students have also registered to take the Automotive Service Excellence A6 Electrical Certification exam this month, a rigorous set of tests that the industry views as the benchmark for career-minded technicians.