Automotive program re-certified
IVCC's automotive program has been re-certified by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation for the maximum five-year period.
The certification process required IVCC to write a self-study and included an on-site evaluation by a three-member team from NATEF, the education branch of Automotive Service Excellence.
Auto instructor Art Koudelka, who headed IVCC's self-study effort, said the re-certification is proof of the quality of IVCC's program.
"Our graduates find jobs very easily," he said. "An IVCC automotive graduate is employable anywhere in the United States because they graduated from a Master Certified NATEF Program."
The NATEF stamp of approval is also a plus to the college, Koudelka said, in obtaining donations from automotive manufacturers and tool suppliers. Snap-On Tools, through NATEF, has donated approximately $2,000 worth of tools and videos over the past year, he said.
NATEF certification also helps in recruiting students, Koudelka said, especially since several private trade schools recruit heavily at local high schools.
"The salesmen for the private trade schools can't bash IVCC's quality because of our Master NATEF Certification," he said.
With the help of instructor Dan O'Connor and the IVCC Automotive Advisory Council, Koudelka worked on the self-study for about a year, reviewing IVCC's program in light of standards set by NATEF.
In late June a team made up of an Evaluation Team Leader from NATEF, a local independent repair shop technician, and a local dealership technician visited campus to complete the evaluation.