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

Evaluation Team Leaders or ETL’s are a vital part of the ASE Education Foundation Accreditation process. The final step in that process is the visit by an ETL to evaluate the program for approval of accreditation. But the important role ETL’s play goes far beyond that final inspection, and that role is often misunderstood. In this episode of the Team ASE Podcast, we talk with Marlo Miranda at the ASE Education Foundation, whose job it is to train and support those individuals tasked with helping Career & Technology Education (CTE) programs improve and grow through ASE Accreditation.

Hear all about it as we talk with Marlo about:

· His role at the ASE Education Foundation training and supporting Evaluation Team Leaders.

· Marlo’s background as a Master Technician, business owner and instructor.

· How the ETL’s support schools through the accreditation process by validating the information provided by programs seeking ASE Accreditation.

· The critical pieces of information necessary for the accreditation process.

· The importance of Advisory Committees to the accreditation process.

· The ETL inspection process and observation of the instruction process.

· Who are the ETL’s? What is their typical background and what do they have in common?

· The qualifications necessary to become and ETL.

· The training to become an ETL and where it is available.

· The support an ETL receives from the ASE Education Foundation.

· How ETL’s are assigned.

· Why being an ETL is a valuable tool for professional development.

· Where you can get more information on becoming an ETL.

· The ASE Education Foundation website address is www.aseeducationfoundation.org

· Marlo’s advice for schools seeking ASE Accreditation.

· How ASE Education Foundation Field Managers can help support CTE programs seeking accreditation.

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

If your organization provides technical training in the auto, truck or collision industry, the ASE Training Manager’s Council (ATMC) was created for you. Founded in 1984 as the Automotive Training Manager’s Council, their mission as a non-profit organization is dedicated to promoting the advancement of training and professional development within the extended automotive service industry. ATMC is a group of training professionals dedicated to helping advance technical training through networking, collaboration and the adoption of the latest technology.

Each year, the ATMC hosts an annual conference with content specifically aimed at training providers. The 2025 ATMC Annual Conference will be April 22-24 in Peachtree City, Georgia, just south of Atlanta. This networking and training event offers insights into best practices for delivering training and an opportunity to learn about and anticipate emerging trends. In this episode, we talk with Matt Shepanek, ATMC President and Vice President of Credential Testing Programs at ASE, about what members can expect when attending this year’s conference.

Hear all about it as we talk with Matt about:

· What the ASE Training Manager’s Council is and his first encounter with the organization as a training manager at Audi.

· Why he finds it a valuable resource.

· What’s happening at the 2025 ATMC Conference in Atlanta.

· The typical agenda at the conference and what was discussed at the last conference.

· How AI is being used in training development and delivery.

· The latest on augmented and virtual reality in training.

· The rundown on each day’s agenda at the 2025 conference.

· The Aftermarket Round Table at ATMC.

· The Annual Training Benchmark Survey.

· A breakdown of the membership at ATMC.

· The Excellence in Training Awards and how anyone can participate.

· The networking resources on the ATMC website.

· For more information on ATMC, visit their website at www.atmc.org

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

Dr. Alex Richards is a PhD with a purpose. As the content developer and Q&A specialist for Electude, Dr. Richards brings his experience as an automotive instructor and Evaluation Team Leader (ETL) to make life easier for CTE program instructors going through the ASE Education Foundation accreditation process. In this episode of the Team ASE podcast, we caught up with Alex at the 2024 ASE Education Foundation Instructor Conference to talk about Electude’s history, their support of the conference as a Gold sponsor and the training he provided while there.

Developed by former CTE instructors, Electude’s e-learning platform reimagines the ways technical students learn and retain information. The learning modules utilize gamification principles and interactive resources, including animations and simulations, to create a discovery-based environment that keeps students engaged throughout their training. With programs in light vehicles, heavy vehicles and systems technologies, Electude offers a highly adaptable platform that performs equally well in the classroom, in the shop, or at home.

Hear all about it as we talk with Alex about:

· His background and experience as an automotive instructor and technician.

· How his first automotive instructor instilled a love for the industry.

· Finding his purpose while training as a technician.

· Why teaching was his next logical step.

· How he found Electude and the Automotive Instructors Technical Network (AITN)

· His role as a product manager at Electude.

· How Electude was founded by two automotive instructors.

· The interactive educational products Electude offers.

· The training Alex presented at the ASE Education Foundation Instructor Conference.

· How Electude helps streamline the accreditation process.

· Placing a value on teacher time.

· The value Electude places on their partnership with ASE and the Education Foundation by reimagining business relationships.

· For more information on Electude, visit their website at www.electude.com

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

Each year, millions of dollars are available to help students cover the cost of education. Sadly, millions of dollars are also left on the table for lack of students applying for what amounts to free money. For those interested in a career as an automotive technician, there are several scholarships which not only help cover tuition, they can also provide the tools necessary to get started. But along with the tools and training, CTE students also need mentorship from other professionals to get them heading in the right direction for success. In this episode, we’ll talk with two individuals who are making a difference in the lives of aspiring automotive professionals by providing all of the above.

Steve Johnson, a popular and successful motorcycle drag racer, started the B.A.T.- Man (or Woman) scholarship in 2023. This Be A Technician scholarship awards tools and what Steve calls free money to students in CTE programs across the country. Before making the scholarship award, Steve gives a presentation entitled “Marketing Your Brand After the Diploma” to all students in the CTE programs he visits to encourage students to identify their passions and seek out the resources to build a career path around doing what they love, similar to what Steve has done in his racing career.

April Lausch is the manager of Faulkner Collision in Lancaster, PA who shares the value of getting involved with your local CTE program to find the technical talent that is necessary for success. She also has a mentoring program for several local students looking for a career in collision repair that has already produced what April calls “rock stars” for Faulkner.

Hear all about it as we talk with April and Steve about:

· Thinking outside the box to engage students for the industry.

· How April found and used the scholarship opportunities available to help two students working in her shop.

· Why scholarships are Free Money.

· Steve’s background in NHRA Racing and how he uses it to reach out educators and promote the scholarships available.

· What the Be A Technician scholarship is and how it works.

· April’s work as the manager of Faulkner Collision in Lancaster, and her involvement in many advisory boards.

· Steve’s student presentation on promoting their personal brand.

· Why it’s important for industry to support CTE education.

· April’s mentor program for entry-level technicians.

· The different paths to success.

· For more information on the B.A.T – Man (or Woman) Scholarship, visit the website at www.stevejohnsonracing.com/scholarships.

· The importance of instructors in the process and getting involved with your local CTE program.

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

Just as today’s automotive technicians need to keep updating their toolbox to diagnose and repair the latest technology, so too do those with the responsibility of training tomorrow’s automotive specialists need to continuously evaluate the classroom tools they use. Fortunately, there are members of Team ASE who work to supply those resources CTE instructors must have to keep up with a constantly-evolving learning environment. In this episode, we talk with David Giles, EV Educational Product Specialist at Consulab, an organization that partners with recognized leaders in the industry to ensure today’s students have access to the best educational tools available.

But it’s not just equipment, Consulab supports CTE educators across the nation and each year offers training on the latest EV technology at the ASE Education Foundation Instructor’s conference. Dave is one of those trainers who shares his knowledge and experience to help instructors keep abreast of the latest technology, while offering some important tips on engaging students and building excitement for an automotive career.

Hear all about it as we talk with Dave about:

· His background in product development and his work as an instructor at a community college teaching alternate fuel technology.

· How he specializes in electric vehicles.

· What Consulab is and the products it provides to help automotive instructors.

· The focus on safety in EV instruction.

· How best to incorporate EV technology into existing training programs.

· The training Consulab provided at the Instructor Conference.

· The value of interactive training experiences.

· From actual vehicle to training aid and how it improves the training process.

· Why thermal management is a big factor in EV training.

· Dave’s tips for getting students excited about an automotive career.

· How instructors can get answers and find valuable tips through ongoing training and collaboration.

· For more information on Consulab and the products they provide, visit the website at www.consulab.com.

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