The Automotive Service and Performance program at Northwest Technical College has received Master Automotive Service Technology accreditation from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence — the highest level of accreditation recognized by the institute.
Dr. Ketmani Kouanchao, NTC’s executive vice president and senior academic officer, said the accreditation reflects the pride NTC has in the work done by its faculty to train future generations of mechanics.
“NTC has outstanding faculty who understand the modern automotive service industry, and thanks to the support of our partners throughout the region our students have access to state-of-the-art equipment and modern labs,” she said. “We thank the ASE for this accreditation, which recognizes not only the quality of our program but also the quality of our graduates.”
Programs earning Master Automotive Service Technology accreditation undergo rigorous evaluation by the ASE Education Foundation using nationally accepted standards measuring the quality of a program’s instruction, facilities and equipment.
NTC—Bemidji’s Technical College offers a 66-credit diploma in automotive service and performance that prepares graduates for in-demand careers in a rapidly evolving industry. Students are trained in modern service and diagnostic procedures and get hands-on experience in a recently remodeled laboratory with up-to-date service and testing equipment. Classroom and lab training covers a variety of topics including brakes, powertrain systems, diagnostic assessment, introductions to hybrid-engine vehicles and more.
NTC training leads to graduates who are in-demand in the workforce — in the four years from 2019-2022, the most recent data available, 100 percent of NTC automotive graduates were employed in related industry careers.
“Because this program increases cooperation between local education and industry leaders, it gives added assurance that NTC’s graduates will be employable entry-level technicians,” ASE Education Foundation President Michael Coley said. “As a result of the quality education at NTC, the public will benefit since better repair technicians will join the workforce.”
The ASE Education Foundation is a non-profit, independent organization that evaluates and accredits entry-level technician training programs against standards developed by the automotive industry.
The NTC Automotive Service & Performance program’s accreditation period runs until June 1, 2029.
For More Information
Mark Johnson, automotive service faculty; mark.johnson@ntcmn.edu