T O D A Y. A Note From the IAGMASEP President. Linda Reinke. 1st quarter 2013

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1 Vol. 15 1st quarter 2013 T O D A Y A Note From the IAGMASEP President Your IAGMASEP Board of Directors has gotten off to a great start this year! We put together our 2013 goals at our January Board of Directors meeting and have been hard at work trying to achieve them. Our key goals include: trying to reach an agreement with Pearson to complete the rest of the book revisions purchase promotional banners for IAGMASEP schools launch pilot certificate programs implement ASEPwear We're making strong progress on our goals. We are close to reaching an agreement with Pearson on the books. All IAGMASEP schools in good standing should receive two GM ASEP banners within the next two weeks, one 8 to hang in your shop area and one 6 that can be used at promotional events. As for the certificate pilot programs, we have identified and given authorization to four schools to run the pilot starting this Fall. And we're currently looking at different vendors and comparing pricing and items for our ASEPwear. Planning has begun for the 2013 IAGMASEP Conference (October 20-23) in Dearborn, MI. We have secured a hotel and are currently working on a contract with the Henry Ford Museum for an offsite event. Please book your hotel room early, as we cannot guarantee rooms or rates after the room block cutoff date; watch your s for information regarding the conference and attend your regional conference to find out more. There is a lot of work that needs to be done this year to achieve our goals. If you are interested in participating on a committee or getting more involved, please contact your regional VP. I d like to thank everyone involved in the GM ASEP program for their dedication and hard work and I look forward to an exciting and rewarding 2013! Linda Reinke Linda Reinke IAGMASEP President

2 Technicians Help ASEP Student Succeed By Warren Farnell, Director of Automotive Programs, Northampton Community College Sometimes the best gift you can give someone is a chance. No one understands that better than a GM ASEP student working at the Chevy 21 dealership in Bethlehem, PA. Chevy 21 has a rich history of sponsoring and hiring GM ASEP students. In fact, six of their ten technicians are ASEP graduates from Northampton Community College (NCC) in Bethlehem, and Service Manager Todd Egry has been an advocate of the automotive training program for many years. The newest member of Egry's staff is a young man who graduated from a local AYES school and had been interning at Chevy 21 throughout his AYES education. Egry recognized that the young man's hard work and great attitude could make him a valued Chevy 21 employee and skilled technician, so he directed the man to NCC to continue his automotive training. With some financial difficulty, the young man finished his first semester of the ASEP program and registered for the second semester. When the bill came due, however, he was not able to pay the tuition and was advised to apply for an affordable payment plan. Unfortunately, to start the payment plan, he needed an initial payment of more than $600. He spoke to 2 Technicians from Chevy 21 in Bethlehem, PA, rallied around the dealership's GM ASEP student and aspiring technician to help ensure he would graduate from the two-year program. 1st Quarter /

3 Egry, explaining that he may have to drop out of NCC because of his financial situation. Upon hearing this, Egry did a remarkable thing. He gathered together his Chevy 21 technicians and described the young man's predicament. Through his dedication, hard work, and willingness to help when asked, the young man had made a lasting impression on his co-workers. So much so that on the spot, they passed around a hat and collected $450 to help him out. Egry then went to the dealer principal Jerry Horst who was so impressed by the generosity of his employees that he wrote a personal check to cover the difference. As director of the automotive programs at Northampton Community College, I've heard some touching stories, but this is something that I have never experienced. To think that these technicians had enough faith and commitment to the ASEP program and this student speaks volumes. Once I learned about the commitment the Chevy 21 team made on the young man's behalf, I called the NCC scholarship office to learn if there might be other ways to help. As a result, he was awarded a Donald B. and Dorothy L. Stabler Scholarship through the Northampton Community College Foundation; the award underwrites nearly all of his tuition bill during his two-year auto tech program. I believe this illustrates a greater value of the ASEP program beyond training technicians: it serves as a powerful example of the value of the community college experience and the degree that goes with automotive training. It also shows the commitment of community colleges to help their students succeed. All-New Banners Promote GM ASEP, Schools Submitted by Tony Levens Thanks to IAGMASEP, all member schools will soon be receiving a package of GM ASEPbranded banners customized with their specific school's name. The large 2.5' x 8' banner replaces the outdated banner(s) featuring old logos of both GM ASEP/BSEP and divisional logos. The smaller 2.5' x 6' banner can be used at events like open houses, recruiting activities, and other program marketing initiatives. This smaller size makes it easy to transport to and from off-site events and can be hung up on site as well. A high resolution electronic file is available on should any school want to reproduce more of these locally, perhaps through their graphic arts department. The electronic file is editable only for the school name. Instructions for downloading and printing are also posted to the website The Regional GM Training Centers will be updated with a generic version shown below to be used for marketing events, Auto Shows, competitions, SkillsUSA, etc. The goal of this initiative is to help us better market and represent GM ASEP. Keep an eye out for the package and display your GM ASEP banners proudly! 3 / 1st Quarter 2013

4 Southbury, CT, Technician Learns, Teaches Excerpted with permission from VOICES the Newspaper 4 Dan Fuller was recently honored as Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Master L1 Auto Tech of Year. This national award considers a pool of automotive technicians who have specific certifications, selecting the person who not only proves his or her knowledge but also demonstrates a commitment to the community. The award recognizes his extensive automotive education, but Mr. Fuller s enthusiasm for learning is almost eclipsed by his energy for teaching. The bigger story is that a local boy can get a good education and work locally, supporting the local economy. Car customers benefit by knowing they can trust their cars to the right person. Mr. Fuller grew up in Watertown and has been a Southbury resident for the past 20 years. Currently, he teaches at Gateway Community College in New Haven as Program Coordinator, directing the Automotive Service Education Program (ASEP) there, which is a partnership in which General Motors provides the school with tools, vehicles and more. Mr. Fuller explained, In the 80s, the industry saw the need for more education and began to sponsor formal programs, providing students with a way to get a college education as well as the technical expertise needed to work on cars. The program balances classroom work with internships with local dealers. The average age of a technician is 50. We need new talent to replace us old guys as we retire. He referred to a stigma around students who gravitate to this type of career. People were stunned when I chose my career, but I didn t want to do anything else. He added, I love cars. I wouldn t do this if I wasn t passionate about it. This industry has been great to me. I raised a family, put two wonderful daughters through school and I have fun every day. I love fixing a car that nobody else can. On Saturdays, I work at West [Chevrolet], which is the coolest place in the world. The average guy has worked there 15 or 20 years because they love the work they do. I can keep sharp because West services all makes and models. He smiled, And I get to play with the cars. "If I had a message, it d be to parents, asking them to consider the amazing value of a community college education, with factory training and internship, that results in a dealership with a great employee that customers can trust." Dan Fuller Mr. Fuller feels he s come full circle, from a student to a teacher. It s cool to see a young kid have a great career and the customer has a guy who s educated. Mr. Fuller continued, The technology and safety features of an average car are very complex. I wouldn t want a kid in there without a formal education, but our industry doesn t have mandatory certifications. The state doesn t require anyone to be licensed in order to work on cars. He added, ASE is a voluntary 1st Quarter /

5 certification program and, to me, the person about to touch a customer s car should be able to show some evidence that he or she knows the car. Over the years, as Mr. Fuller learned his trade, he took the initiative to become certified, beginning with cars and moving into trucks, school buses, alternative fuels, body shop, collision repair, etc. The certifications are strictly proctored and include hundreds of detailed questions. These certifications are good for five years. While most technicians work toward certification in their own areas of expertise, fewer seek certifications in a broad range of topics to become master technicians. He jokes about his new found fame, but said he wanted to earn every ASE certification there is for his own sense of accomplishment. I truly believe that voluntary certification is the best thing we have. While some technicians feel that a paper and pencil test doesn t prove the same knowledge and skill set that a hands-on exercise would demonstrate, Mr. Fuller said that a technician who takes the initiative to obtain certification shows an attitude of professionalism. Employers like West Chevrolet are looking for that attitude and the things that set a technician apart. I ve got a pretty good life and I m happy. I m blessed with a phenomenal career and can give back a little. I m having fun and at the top of my game. Working at West keeps me up to date and the students at Gateway keep me young. Who could ask for more? Hiring Heroes: Uniting Veterans, Dealerships By Bill Davis Recognizing the importance of helping those who have sacrificed so much for our country, the GM Service Technical College (GM STC) is working on a number of initiatives designed to encourage the hiring of returning veterans by dealerships. GM STC aligned its initiative with GM s support of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce s Hiring Our Heroes program. They've developed four activities that promote the hiring of veterans by GM dealerships: With help from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, GM is providing dealerships with free access to the 400-plus Hiring Our Heroes Job Fairs, connecting them to a diversely talented pool of applicants skilled in a variety of areas. Another activity promotes the GM Automotive Service Educational Program (GM ASEP) to veterans and shows how they could use GI Bill funding to assist with associated tuition costs. GM STC is currently working to gain access for service members to free technical and non-technical training via the Center of Learning website ( X X Efforts are also under way to promote a website where dealers can post open job positions and veterans can upload their résumés and apply for positions free of charge. 5 / 1st Quarter 2013

6 GM ASEP Committee Updates News from the Curriculum Committee as submitted by Darrin Marshall The IAGMASEP curriculum committee has hit the ground running in The new Brakes, Steering and Suspension book is available as well as the instructor resources to support it. Instructors can find access information to the GM ASEP Instructor Resources website within the gmasep.com website (located in the Curriculum Materials folder, in the Pearson Book Information subfolder). Also, just a reminder to students, the new Brakes, Steering and Suspension and Fundamentals book can be purchased via the student portal at Password information can be obtained from your instructor. The older versions of these books will no longer be available for purchase by the time this newsletter is published. The committee members are all aware that we have lots of work ahead and we have agreed to meet at least monthly by conference call in order to keep the momentum going. After several years of service as committee chair, Marty Kamimoto has stepped down but is still working with the committee. As the new committee chair, I look forward to working with Marty and the other committee members to bring you the next generation of curriculum. 6 News from the Marketing Committee Have you Googled us lately? If you have and maybe you used the terms GM Training or GM ASEP you'll discover that we're now near the top of the search results, surpassing even the popular site in many cases. What does this mean for your GM ASEP college? Chances are, if prospective students are looking for information about GM ASEP, they are much more likely to end up on the site, read about what a great program GM ASEP is, and find a link to your college website! If your college is not linked, contact ted.schafer@tri-c.ed, who will forward the information to the web developer. Although they may not be allowed in ASEP classrooms, smartphones and other mobile devices account for a noteworthy portion of traffic to analytics show a strong percentage of new visits to the site from these devices. Suggesting that potential candidates visit the site during a school visit or presentation might be another way to attract a quality candidate to your GM ASEP program. We'd like to welcome two new members: Laura Garcia, Automotive Program Coordinator at Northern Virginia Community College, and Keith Brown, GM ASEP Instructor at Northern Virginia Community College. CONTACT US Have a story idea, question or concern? Use the Contact Us feature on the GM Training Website at And don t forget you can retrieve any GM ASEP communications under Resources>Communications. Additional information can also be found under Resources>Dealer Recruitment Toolbox>Recruitment & Retention Practices 1st Quarter /