Each year, the ASE Education Foundation honors one CTE Instructor who typically goes above and beyond his or her job description to make a difference. Candidates for the ASE Education Foundation Outstanding Instructor of the Year award must be nominated by an administrator such as a principal, program director, dean, department chair or CTE director. In this episode, we talk with Brian Manley, Pathway Lead in Automotive Technology at Cherry Creek Innovation Campus (CCIC), a high school in Centennial, Colorado, who was selected as the 2024 honoree.

The award honors the memory of Byrl Shoemaker. Dr. Shoemaker was the state director of vocational and adult education at the Ohio Department of Education from 1962 to 1982. He was a major contributor to education, including the development of the system of career technical education programs in Ohio and the development of the two-year post high school technician education centers that have grown into the system of community colleges across Ohio. Dr. Shoemaker was also instrumental in the development of VICA (now SkillsUSA) in Ohio as well as nationally and the development of NATEF (now ASE Education Foundation) accreditation, ensuring entry-level automotive repair training programs meet standards set by the automotive service industry at the national level. This lifetime achievement award recognizes extraordinary educators whose dedication to technical education mirrors Dr. Shoemaker's unwavering passion.

Hear all about it as we talk with Brian about:

· His road to becoming the 2024 ASE Education Foundation Instructor of the Year.

· How he found his niche and a talent for vehicle repair.

· How ASE Certification has boosted his self-esteem.

· Why teaching Automotive Technology and Track & Field are his passions.

· Coming full circle by being honored with this award.

· His CTE program at Cherry Creek and the opportunities if offers his students.

· Brian’s advice for those thinking of a career in the automotive industry.

· What his personal research has shown about what employers are looking for in an entry-level technician.

· Why teamwork is important and valuable.

· The trends that surprised him in his research with shop owners.

· The realities of getting into automotive service and repair.

For more information on ASE and automotive careers, visit the website at www.ase.com

The Team ASE family reflects the broad automotive industry involvement in addressing what is often regarded as the largest challenge facing automotive service and repair—the shortage of qualified entry-level automotive technicians. The ASE Education Foundation is working to ensure that CTE programs have the necessary standards to keep up with rapidly-advancing automotive technology, but it’s the support and involvement of the Team ASE industry partners that make things happen.

One of the most important supporters of Team ASE are the industry associations who work in partnership with the ASE Education Foundation to ensure we have the qualified technical talent needed to fill the technician jobs now and in the future. Some, like the North Texas Automobile Dealers, extend this commitment to include several initiatives ranging from participating with career events to providing technician competitions across the nation. In this episode, we’ll explore some of these ideas in more detail as we talk with Bill Chester, Workforce Development Manager at the North Texas Auto Dealers.

Hear all about it as we talk with Bill about:

· His background in the industry with Mercedes Benz.

· Career Day at the North Texas Auto Expo

· How the North Texas Auto Dealers (NTXDA) works with local CTE programs.

· Encouraging their members to participate in local Advisory Committees to connect with students.

· Making connections for students and industry.

· Advocating for ASE accreditation for CTE programs and ASE Certification for instructors.

· The NTXAD five-week Fast Track program for graduates.

· How they developed the Fast Track curriculum through research and working with their members.

· The NTXAD annual Technician Competition at Texas Motor Speedway.

· How NTXAD members are directly involved in helping to prepare students for jobs in the automotive industry.

For more information on ASE and automotive careers, visit the website at www.ase.com

Automotive trade magazines have been part of the industry since 1899. The first one to appear was called Motor Age and it’s still around. I had the honor of being the Editorial Director of Motor Age early in my career, and learned that trade publications are an important resource to keep their readers abreast of the latest news and information, along with advances in technology and legislation that directly impact their daily lives. What some don’t realize is that trade publications are also an important source of technical training to help those same readers stay sharp and make them aware of what they don’t know. Those trade publishers serve as the voice of the industry and are also an important facet of the organizations and individuals who make up Team ASE.

In this episode, we talk with Chris Jones, Editorial Director of the Vehicle Repair Group at Endeavor Business Media. Chris is the latest in a long line of editors charting the direction of the trade magazines Endeavor publishes which cover pretty much all segments of the automotive service and collision repair industries. He shares his insights into how trade publishing has evolved and what it means to the readers he serves.

Hear all about it as we talk with Chris about:

· How the automotive trade magazines serve the industries they cover and supplement the ongoing training necessary for today’s technicians.

· What Endeavor Business Media is and what automotive markets they cover.

· Chris’ direct responsibilities as Editorial Director and how he came to be at Endeavor.

· How publications have changes over the years to use online resources and podcasts to share information.

· The biggest challenges working in the technical arena as an editor.

· How Chris leverages his involvement and industry events to find the most effective and useful content for his magazines.

· The process for finding candidates to fill his Editorial Board.

· The importance of giving the industry a voice.

· How the magazines stay true to their mission over the years.

· Why technology has allowed magazines to get even closer to their readers.

For more information on ASE and automotive careers, visit the website at www.ase.com