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National Fiat Chrysler technician rollout begins at Gateway

Gateway Technical College students will gain access to first-in-the-nation certification training for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, giving them the skills and industry credentials to better secure their career future in the automotive industry.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA LLC) today at Gateway’s Horizon Center for Transportation Technology in Kenosha announced the automotive technician program to provide students with the training to be certified as Mopar Level 1 technicians. Gateway is the first college to engage in the training which will be embedded in its two-year Automotive Technician associate degree program.

“Gateway is proud to be the first college identified by FCA to provide this training opportunity,” said Gateway Technical College President and CEO Bryan Albrecht. “It’s the golden ticket to job prosperity, to embed the standards into our curriculum.”

FCA is partnering with the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3) to roll out the local program to other colleges in the nation.

Gateway officials worked to inject the training modules into the college’s two-year Automotive Technician program, providing the means for graduates to have earned FCA Level 0 and Level 1 certifications.

John Fox, director of training at FCA, said that the company will need to add 5,000 technicians to their workforce by 2018.

He said those completing the college program can start doing significant technician work on FCA vehicles immediately.

“What we have identified is the skills gap. I think students don’t realize the career opportunities available to them, and the significant amount of money they can make as a technician,” he said.

Nick Pinchuk, chairman and CEO, Snap-on Incorporated, told the 200 audience members that the strength of America is its middle class, and the backbone of keeping it viable is technical education such as that mentioned in the announcement.

“The strength of America, our broad nation, is people employed in tasks … The great middle of America is our strength,” he said.

Others also lauded Gateway for being the first college in the nation to provide the training.

“This is a big deal for Wisconsin because Chrysler is announcing its national platform in Wisconsin, and I am proud of Gateway because it is the first to deliver on that platform,” said Reggie Newson, secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. “This is a big, big deal for Wisconsin.”

After creating a curriculum, Gateway began with a voluntary program for its existing students in Fall 2014 before requiring them to engage in the FCA training starting with the Spring 2015 semester.

Current students will be able to engage in a portion of the training modules. Newly enrolled students starting Fall 2015 will have the opportunity to receive the entire range of FCA certification training for Level 0 and Level 1.

“They are receiving the training as part of their everyday Gateway curriculum,” said Matt Janisin, Gateway automotive technology instructor and NC3 coordinator. “Every newly enrolled student will receive FCA training in every class they take throughout the program.”

In addition, FCA has rolled out its New Technician Exemption Program, which means those graduates of the Mopar CAP Local modules will be able to engage in Level 2 warranty work.

The FCA-specific training means an influx of trained technicians into the industry who are certified to address FCA warranty work. Not only does it provide even more technicians for area dealerships and shops to hire for that warranty work, but it also benefits Gateway graduates who will be even more valuable to potential employers.

Those employers will know they have a FCA-trained technician. They will know the graduate is highly skilled and effective in performing FCA work from the time they are hired, as well as showing an aptitude for successful training from OEMs, as well.

In addition to the associate degree program, Gateway will also provide training for instructors from across the nation in the Mopar CAP Local program, a NC3 train-the-trainer format of which the college has gained national and international recognition.