Focused on Growth

One year ago, the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) underwent a leadership change as Dave Johnson became the new President and CEO of the organization. In fact, the first Team ASE Podcast interview was with Dave and we ended with a promise to check in with him from time to time to talk about some of the changes that always come with new leadership. In this extended episode, we kept that promise and caught up with Dave to get his feedback as his first year draws to a close and to talk about some of the changes that happened in 2024 and what’s new at ASE for 2025. As you’ll learn, Dave’s had a busy year!Hear all about it as we talk with Dave about:·         The vision of ASE and its contribution to credibility, trust and competence through excellence.·         The technician shortage and ASE’s role in addressing this need.·         How it all starts with the consumer.·         Investing in advertising to promote the ASE brand to consumers and the industry.·         The role of the ASE Education Foundation in accrediting career & technical education programs.·         Providing the G1 Maintenance & Light Repair to automotive students as an entry-level professional credential.·         The new partnership with WrenchWay to attract new talent.·         Connecting schools and students with local employers.·         Adding the G1 automatically to those holding Master Technician status.·         Improvements in ASE test availability through the new Pro Proctor program.·         ASE Testing in the comfort of your own home.·         Improvements in testing convenience and availability.·         The encouragement for continuous learning by ASE certified professionals.·         The new chat feature for customer service.·         Exploring a new ASE Certification test for locksmiths.·         Taking a look at AI and how it may impact the automotive professional.·         Dave’s vision for the future to enable success.·         The statistics on the value of ASE certification to individuals holding the credentials and the businesses that employ them.For more information on ASE and automotive careers, visit the website at www.ase.com

When we talk about Team ASE, we’re talking about the thousands of individuals all working toward a common goal of improving the automotive service industry. One key part of that group is the trade press. This year, Motor Age, a magazine name familiar to technicians and shop owners everywhere, celebrated its 125th Anniversary. Although a lot has changed during that time, the mission and dedication of the automotive trade press remains the same, as does their important role within the industry.We caught up with Chris Messer and Mike Willins at the 2024 ASE Education Foundation Instructor Conference to talk about that role and the support Endeavor Business Media provides for the collective effort to attract and train the automotive professionals our industry needs.Hear all about it as we talk about:·         Endeavor Business Media and the markets it serves.·         The prevalence and importance of trade publications like Motor Age.·         How the internet has impacted the automotive trade publishing industry.·         Why technology makes delivering important technical and business information easier.·         The responsibility of the trade press to the automotive service industry.·         The new-age challenge of being an automotive trade editor.·         The omni-channel reality in delivering the message to where the audience wants to receive it.·         The advantages and limits of using AI technology in publishing.·         The training Endeavor offers to the industry and automotive CTE educators.·         How Endeavor supports the mission of ASE and the Education Foundation.·         How the Endeavor team works to give back to the automotive industry.·         Going from monthly to minutely in publishing technical and business information.·         The role of trade publishing in looking ahead for the industry and technicians to help them keep up with fast-changing technology.For more information on ASE and automotive careers, visit the website at www.ase.com

The ASE Education Foundation couldn’t provide training to CTE instructors through the annual Instructor Conference without the support of our industry partners. We’ve been profiling some of these Team ASE supporters to recognize their contributions to building our future workforce, and we continue that recognition with a look at Lucas-Nuella Incorporated, a manufacturer of training systems for vocational programs with its headquarters in Germany and a Gold Sponsor of the 2024 ASE Education Foundation Instructor Conference.In this episode, we talk with Gerald Schex, Senior Vice President; Steve Westbury, Sales & Marketing Manager, and Dirk Niemeyer, Technical Trainer, about the equipment and training Lucas-Nuella provides to schools building both Electric Vehicle (EV) and Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) curriculums.Hear all about it as we talk about:·         A short history on how Lucas-Nuelle was founded and what it does to provide training to the automotive industry and many others.·         Their goal to offer the latest training on EV and ADAS systems at the ASE Education Foundation Instructor Conference.·         The products and training aids Lucas-Nuella offers for educators.·         Details on the training curriculum for EV and ADAS systems.·         The focus on safety for the students and instructors in all of their products.·         How Lucas-Nuelle equipment and curriculum helps automotive instructors prepare to deliver the latest technical information.·         How culture factors into the training process.·         The value of interactive learning.·         The ADAS training offered at the Instructor Conference.·         How you can lean more about Lucas-Nuella and the products they supply at www.lucas-nuelle.usFor more information on ASE and automotive careers, visit the website at www.ase.com

There are many creative ways Team ASE collision industry partners find to support the effort to attract and train the technical talent we need for today and tomorrow. Two important ones include providing sponsorship support for the annual instructor conference and finding creative ways to get consumable materials into the collision programs to help stretch scarce school resources. Evercoat does both.In this Team ASE Podcast episode, we talk with Tim McKinney, Senior Field Application Engineer at ITW Evercoat, one of the Platinum Sponsors of the 2024 ASE Education Foundation Instructor Conference. This type of industry involvement is critical to ensuring that those tasked with preparing the next generation of collision professionals have the tools, products and information to deal with the latest in fast-changing automotive technology. The ASE Education Foundation couldn’t provide the level of support necessary to CTE programs nationwide without Team ASE partners like ITW Evercoat.Hear all about it as Tim explains:·         His first job at Evercoat as a technical trainer and how it led to his current role.·         The history of Evercoat which began in Cincinnati providing solutions for the marine market.·         Evercoat’s current products focused on the automotive collision industry.·         Evercoat’s support for technical education and CTE instructors.·         The training he provided at the 2024 Instructor Conference.·         Then panel discussion that made learning technical tips fun.·         His work on developing special programs to provide Evercoat’s products to technical training programs.·         How this effort helps cut the cost to instructors, who often spend their own resources to get supplies for their classes.·         Why Evercoat feels their involvement with the ASE Education Foundation is important for the future.·         The need to never stop learning as technology drives change.·         Learning more about Evercoat and the products they supply at www.evercoat.com.For more information on ASE and automotive careers, visit the website at www.ase.com

First introduced in 1996, U.S. legislation requires all cars and light trucks since then to be compliant with the second-generation On-Board Diagnostic system that provides vehicle self-diagnosis and reporting capabilities for repair technicians. OBD 2 is a standard protocol that gives technicians access to vehicle electronic subsystem information to monitor engine performance and analyze repair needs. Starting in 2008, the requirements were updated to implement OBD 2 through a Controller Area Network (CAN) as specified by ISO 15765-4. The next update is scheduled to happen in 2027 and that’s good news for diagnostic technicians and something CTE instructors need to be aware of when training current and future technicians.One of the best OBD trainers in the industry is Rick Escalambre and he shared his extensive knowledge of existing OBD diagnostics and outlined the changes coming soon at the 2024 ASE Education Foundation Instructor Conference. It’s the kind of cutting-edge training available to CTE instructors nationwide every year in July. In this episode, we talk with Rick about the upcoming changes to OBD 2 and the readiness monitor training he provided if you couldn’t make the conference this year. Hear all about it as Rick explains:·         How he enjoys giving back by sharing his knowledge and information with working technicians and CTE instructors, even in retirement.·         What his class on OBD 2 monitor testing involved and how he researches “OBD 2 between the lines” to help everyone keep up with the changes.·         Why diagnostic and repair of a Check Engine light is the same for those in non-emission states as it is for those who require periodic emission inspections.·         Why there is still much to learn on the OBD 2 system by working technicians and teachers.·         What he covered in his readiness monitor diagnostic class.·         The new Global OBD on UDS system and how it works.·         How the new system organizes diagnostic information into convenient “packets” to provide more precise information for emission technicians.·         The new ISO 14229 protocol scan tool manufacturers will build the necessary software updates to take advantage of the new protocol.·         What the 14229 protocol means in terms of diagnostic information.·         What to look forward to for his class plans for next year at the Instructor Conference.For more information on ASE and automotive careers, visit the website at www.ase.com

In this episode of the Team ASE Podcast, we focus the spotlight on a well-known name in education that has been training young automotive professionals since 1966. WyoTech’s stated vision is to serve their students and the industry by providing the best learning experience, training and outcomes. Since becoming a family-owned private company 2018, that vision and mission hasn’t changed, including WyoTech’s support of the ASE Education Foundation’s Annual Instructor Conference as one of the organizations providing training for CTE instructors and as a dedicated member of Team ASE.We caught up with Shawn Nunley, VP of Training at WyoTech, at the 2024 Instructor Conference to talk about the collision training they presented and how they offer choices of opportunities for the young men and women who choose Laramie, Wyoming as the place to pursue the training to begin their automotive careers. As Shawn explains, it’s a place that provides a number of options.Hear all about it as we talk with Shawn about:·         A short history of WyoTech and how they have grown since changing into private ownership in 2018.·         The different training programs offered by WyoTech and the choices they provide for their students.·         The goal of working with secondary school CTE programs to offer continuing education.·         Graduating a new class of automotive professionals every three months.·         How WyoTech helps students find their career path and succeed.·         The important basics for keeping up with new technology.·         Why WyoTech thinks relationships are important and how they work to create partnerships with the industry.·         How they facilitate employment opportunities.·         The training WyoTech provided at the 2024 Instructor Conference.·         The unique programs offered by WyoTech for opportunities in the auto, collision, diesel, and custom fabrication industries.·         Shawn’s advice for those thinking about an automotive career.·         You can learn more about WyoTech’s training programs, scholarships, VA Education Benefits and much more on the website at www.wyotech.edu, or by calling their toll-free number at 800-521-7158.For more information on ASE and automotive careers, visit the website at www.ase.com

One of the most important facets of Team ASE is the dedication of the technical training community who each year provide hundreds of CTE instructors with the opportunity to stay abreast of advancing automotive technology at the ASE Education Foundation Instructor Conference. This includes several individual shop owners who consistently volunteer their time and talent to not only train the trainers, but to also provide internships in their business. One such individual is Scott Brown, co-owner of Connie & Dick’s Auto Service Center in Claremont, CA. Scott is one of the leading technical trainers in the industry on Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS), and a regular trainer at the Instructor Conference. But Scott’s commitment to passing on his technical knowledge and experience goes beyond his training classes around the nation. He also mentors students from the same high school CTE program he attended. He not only represents an excellent role model for the next generation of automotive professionals, he shows how the independent repair community is working to help provide the technical talent we need for the future success of our industry.Hear all about it as we talk with Scott about:·         The training he provided at the 2024 Instructor Conference.·         How to use visual tools for ADAS instruction.·         The AI tools he has developed to help technicians understand the computer science.·         Using case studies to show how ADAS systems operate.·         The ADAS book he has co-authored with teaching supplements for instructors.·         How he gives back to the industry by mentoring students from the high school CTE program he attended.·         The mentor-mentee application he uses to provide structure to the process.·         How he uses his shop as a teaching experience.·         Why Scott works to provide the knowledge transfer to the next generation.For more information on ASE and automotive careers, visit the website at www.ase.com

The ASE Education Foundation Instructor Conference is the largest dedicated CTE learning opportunity in the nation. None of it would be possible without the support of the industry partners who show their commitment by providing the technical talent, training, and support to keep CTE instructors nationwide on the cutting edge of rapidly advancing automotive technology. The Team ASE Podcast series recognizes that support and commitment by spotlighting some of the training available to those instructors at the 2024 conference that continues to improve and advance the knowledge and skills of those charged with the responsibility of preparing tomorrow’s technicians. In this episode of the Team ASE podcast, we talk with Gary Uyematsu, National Technical Training Manager at BMW Group University. Hear all about it as we talk with Gary about:·         His background in the automotive industry and time as an instructor.·         The latest in remote diagnostics with BMW vehicles.·         BMW’s progress on autonomous driving.·         The new aluminum-carbon body structures.·         New repair processes for carbon fiber body components.·         The carbon repair technology BMW uses.·         The evolving skill sets necessary for collision technicians.·         BMW’s commitment to the educational community.·         How BMW works with the Adopt-A-School program.·         BMW’s STEP program and Youth Initiative.·         The BMW career path.For more information on ASE and automotive careers, visit the website at www.ase.com

The 2024 ASE Education Foundation Instructor Conference continues as the largest dedicated CTE instructor training conference in the nation. Although the growth of the conference has been steady over the years, none of it would be possible without the support of the industry partners who make it all possible. Each year, these sponsors show their commitment to providing the technical talent the automotive industry needs by providing the resources and training talent to keep CTE instructors nationwide on the cutting edge of automotive technology.In this episode of the Team ASE podcast, we talk with Leah Balto and Jacob Bond of Milwaukee Tool about the company involvement with the ASE Education Foundation and why the leadership at Milwaukee Tool thinks its one of the best ways to support students, CTE instructors and the industry at large.     Hear all about it as we talk with Leah and Jacob about:·         Why Milwaukee Tool supports the ASE Education Foundation.·         The 100th Anniversary of Milwaukee Tool this year.·         How they provide solutions in a variety of tool areas.·         How Milwaukee brings value to the end user of their tools.·         The process of listening to technicians to provide innovation.·         The Milwaukee philosophy of never settle, always improving.·         The plans for providing training in 2025 at the instructor conference.·         The relationship between education and industry.·         Building relationships with instructors and students.·         How tool electrification mirrors vehicle electrification.·         Bringing more safety and productivity to the service bay.·         How to get more information on Milwaukee Tool solutions at www.milwaukeetool.com.For more information on ASE and automotive careers, visit the website at www.ase.com

On July 15th, 272 CTE instructors from across the nation came together in Minneapolis for the 2024 ASE Education Foundation Instructor Conference. Antonio Melendez, an automotive CTE Instructor at Westbury High School near Houston was one of them. With about 4,500 hour of training available from 57 companies and 44 sponsors, it’s the largest instructor training event in the industry. In this episode of the Team ASE podcast, we talk with Tony about the personal and professional significance of attending the 2024 ASE Education Foundation Instructor Conference. In upcoming podcasts, we’ll talk about the kind of technical training available in the 2024 conference and the value it provides to the instructors and those who support their efforts to educate the next generation of automotive professionals.     Hear all about it as we talk with Tony about:·         Tony’s background and how he came to be a CTE instructor in Texas.·         How his jobs introduced him to mentoring and apprenticeships.·         His ten years at Westbury High School.·         What value he sees in attending the Instructor Conference.·         How the training and other instructors he finds at the conference helps him be a better teacher.·         Getting new learning strategies from the experience.·         Why the outstanding technical training is important in preparing for new technology.·         How the training helps Tony hone his teaching skills and techniques to better engage his students.·         Why the knowledge he gains is transferrable to the classroom.·         The networking available at the conference and how it helps new instructors adapt and find answers to common problems.·         The support available to instructors through the ASE Education Foundation.·         The challenges of presenting EV training in the classroom.For more information on ASE and automotive careers, visit the website at www.ase.com