April 4, 2018

Automotive Career Training Program Aims to Accelerate Students Careers Starting this Fall

Representatives from Honda and Acura dealerships from throughout Chicagoland visited Triton College on Feb. 7 to tour the college’s automotive facilities ahead of the launch of the new Honda PACT Program coming to Triton College this fall.

A new program will launch at Triton College in fall 2018 that will prepare students to fill a growing workforce need in the automotive service industry.

Triton has partnered with American Honda Motor Co. Inc. to create a degree program specifically designed to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed in a career serving the needs of Honda and Acura drivers.

Students enrolled in Honda’s Professional Automotive Career Training (PACT) Program will earn an Associate of Applied Science degree in automotive technology. As a requirement of the two-year program, a Honda or Acura dealership will sponsor individual students. As part of the curriculum, enrollees will report to work at their sponsor dealership, where they’ll train under the guidance of seasoned professionals from within the dealership’s service departments. The remainder of the student’s time will be spent in the classrooms and laboratories of Triton’s Automotive Technology Department, where they’ll receive expert instruction from Triton’s experienced faculty members.

“So many of the technicians working today are reaching the end of their careers,” said Dr. Chuck Bohleke, Triton College dean of Business and Technology. “It’s important that a new generation of skilled workers are properly trained so that they can help safely keep cars on the road.”

Students will graduate from the Honda PACT Program with skills tailored to the needs of Honda and Acura service departments, and may transition into full-time permanent careers from their sponsoring dealers.

“One thing stood out about Triton that was very clear in making our selection process very easy. It was the enthusiasm, the dedication, the want,” said Philip Rohde, assistant zone manager, Honda Parts and Service Division. “There was clearly the want and desire for our training program to be on this campus.”

For more than 50 years, Triton’s Automotive Technology Program has serviced as a cornerstone of the school’s career and technical education curriculum. Triton’s Automotive faculty boasts more than 100 years of combined teaching experience and has consistently trained students to succeed in a variety of roles in the automotive industry.

According to recent numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median wage for automotive service technicians was more than $18 per hour. The BLS forecasts the addition of more than 45,000 automotive service technician jobs by 2026.

For more information on the PACT Program and other Triton Automotive programs, please contact Michael Digangi, Automotive coordinator, at (708) 437-6915, Ext. 3456, or email michaeldigangi@triton.edu.