YAATC is the result of a unique collaborative effort between Ford Motor Company, the SEMCA Workforce Development Board, Metro Detroit Lincoln Mercury and Ford dealers associations and the communities of Highland Park, Westland and Taylor.
YAATC is a nine to twelve month program which will train students in a simulated, dealer repair, classroom environment. Students are learning such operations as repair of brakes, electrical, suspension and climate-control systems, as well as basic maintenance. Emphasis also will be placed on students’ reading, writing and math skills. Students who do not already have a high school diploma or GED will earn one through the SEMCA Partnership for Adult Learning (PAL) by the end of the program.
(left to right) Ford President of Automotive Consumer Services Group, Mike Jordan and Karen Dukatz, Ford project manager for the three centers and SEMCA Workforce Development Board member, presented the three participating learning institutions (from Highland Park Career Academy, Glenn Holman; Wayne County Community College, Randall Miller; and Wayne Westland Schools Superintendent, Greg Baracy) with a surprise—1.5 million dollars.
Dealers leading the mentoring programs include Doug North of North Brothers Ford in Westland, Walt Oben, Jr. of Southgate Lincoln Mercury in Southgate, Gerard Schmid of Ed Schmid Ford in Ferndale and Edmond Douglas of Avis Ford in Southfield.
In addition to college credits, graduates of the program will receive a Ford maintenance and light repair certificate – which is equal to 20 percent of the credentials needed for master technician certification. Graduates can continue their education while on the job to become fully certified Ford service technicians.
Senator Martha G. Scott told the crowd “This is really doing something for the people.”
Critics of Michigan’s welfare reform efforts have complained that jobs obtained by former welfare recipients are not bringing them above the poverty level, which is currently considered to be approximately $14,510 based on family size. The key to getting out of poverty is finding a good paying job. Good paying jobs usually require specialized skills, skills like the ones learned in the YAATC program. These job openings (Auto Technicians) at Ford dealerships will reportedly have starting salaries of $30,000, more than double the salary amount needed to bring someone above the poverty level.
A few of the YAATC students check out the new training facility that will now be their classroom.
(left to right) Anastasha Holmes, Katina Clay and Tanika Coleman; are no longer intimidated by big engines. These ladies can now tell you what is wrong with your car and fix it for you.
The YAATC training facility at the Highland Park Career Academy, is the first to open in the county. Ford has plans to open other YAATCs across the county to fill the void of Auto Technicians. Two other YAATC training centers are slated open right here in Wayne County. They will be located at the William D. Ford Career-Tech Center in Westland and Wayne County Community College, Northline Campus. “The administration and staff of Wayne-Westland Community Schools and the William D. Ford Career-Tech Center are honored to be selected as a regional training site for the Ford Motor Company Youth and Adult Automotive Training Center program. We view this as an exciting new career opportunity for hundreds of local area young adults interested in careers in the automotive repair field,” said Bill Richardson, Principal of the William D. Ford Career Tech Center.
During the dedication ceremony, Mike Jordan surprised the crowd by announcing that Ford would be donating 1.5 million to the three learning institutions for the YAATC program.
Ford Motor Company will provide $500,000 over three years for each school’s program–including cash, vehicles, tools and state of the art equipment, components and facility improvements.
(left) Workforce Development Board Vice Chair and Education Advisory Group Chair, Charlie (Charlotte) Mahoney inspects one of the new training engines in the Highland Park facility with (right) Employment and Training Designs Vice President, Antoinette Wirth.
Candidates for the program were recruited from the SEMCA Michigan Works! Service Centers in Highland Park, Wayne Dearborn and Southgate. Many of the recruits earned their GEDs, brushed up on basic skills and began electrical training in programs that were funded by the Partnership for Adult Learning (PAL) program before they went on to the Ford YAATC program. Please visit www.semca.org/palgrad1.htm on-line for more information about PAL and how these hard working individuals got into the YAATC program.
A handful of the students in the program are women. When asked how they felt about the YAATC program, the women all expressed excitement at their impending profession. They confessed that when the training began they didn’t know a spark plug from a piston. They felt a little intimidated at first, but as their automotive knowledge increased, so did their confidence.
Linda Passmore, in the new facility, is eager to finish her training.
They went on to say that their male classmates had been very supportive as well as their instructors.
“I feel like this is an opportunity and a challenge,” Tanika Coleman said.
The first class from the YAATC, Highland Park Career Academy will graduate in April of 2002. Look for the article about this exciting future event in the next issue of Working Together!
Dom DiMarco, Finance & Planning Ford Customer Service Division opened the ceremony.