It’s not exactly a secret that Chabot College offers all kinds of programs for students to get practical training to find a job in a given field of employment, but one such program with a proven track record is the Automotive Technology (ATEC) program.

The ATEC program offers an Associate in Science degree, and a choice of up to 10 certificates, with classes covering all aspects of working on cars. Whether it’s brakes and suspension ranging all the way to hybrid electrical systems, Chabot offers a class and certificate for it.

After finishing the introductory ATEC 50 class either at Chabot or a qualified Regional Occupational Program, Chabot offers up to 17 classes that cover almost every position in the automotive industry including customer-facing consultant positions and even an Automotive Career Exploration class that can help you decide what kind of job fits you. The ATEC program also provides uncredited versions of most courses so returning students or anyone working in the field that wants to sharpen their skills or learn with more advanced tools are welcome as well.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “About 70,000 openings for automotive service technicians and mechanics are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.”

When asked how Chabot keeps up in training for the ever-advancing automotive field, ATEC teacher Erich Bass-Werner claims, “We are up to date in whatever the [current] car fleet is. We’re dealing with newer technologies. So we have a lot of new equipment, top of the line, in terms of trainers, scan tools, and additional equipment that is required for modern cars. So the students are coming here and they’re looking at this equipment. They’re seeing the tools that we’re using. And of course, they get enthusiastic about it.”

Reputation is incredibly important when it comes to the automotive industry, and when asked what connections Chabot has, Erich said, “We have several partnerships with very important companies like Mercedes-Benz. The Mercedes-Benz Campus Program, which is a very, very selective program. And now our students, when they go through the program and they sign up to be in the Mercedes-Benz Campus Program, when they finish their AS degree then they can get an internship with Mercedes-Benz. We have also partnered with Hyundai, Genesis, with Volkswagen, Subaru, and Ford.”

Bryan Garcia, former ATEC student and current shop foreman at Cadillac of South Francisco said on his time at Chabot,”The ATEC program really helped me get to learn the basics and get comfortable. Learning how to use tools, and then eventually learning about every aspect of the car helps because it can be scary and overwhelming at first.” On Chabot’s reputation for producing automotive techs Bryan claimed, “We actually have 3 Chabot students at Cadillac and another from Las Positas. and I just hired a Chabot student a couple months ago.”

If you’re interested in cars or a job market with growing demand and wages, Chabot’s ATEC program is a great place to start.