Automotive technology students and area dealerships will benefit from a new partnership TJC has entered with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3).
TJC officials signed an agreement today with FCA and NC3, to immediately incorporate Fiat Chrysler’s Mopar CAP (Career Automotive Program) Local training program into TJC’s current auto tech curriculum.
Along with their regular auto tech curriculum, TJC students can simultaneously train for and receive certification as Mopar Level 1 technicians for any Fiat Chrysler dealership.
TJC is one of the first 20 colleges nationwide – and one of only two institutions in Texas – to be recruited for the program, which was created by FCA in July 2015 to fill a critical need for more than 5,000 service technicians by the year 2018.
“We are thrilled to be one of the first colleges to offer this program,” TJC President Mike Metke said, “and we’re excited to see how these added skills will give TJC students an edge in finding great jobs right here at home.”
The program will also be a boon for Fiat Chrysler dealers, who can hire technicians already certified on Mopar equipment and ready to go to work immediately, with little or no added training.
John Fox, FCA director of dealer training, said, “Not only will dealerships gain much-needed, highly skilled technicians, they will have already received the specialized training and familiarity with Fiat Chrysler automobiles and dealerships to make them highly effective on day one of employment.”
Roger Tadajewski, NC3 executive director, said, “NC3 couldn’t be more pleased with the successful local partnerships being formed between FCA US and NC3 leadership schools.
“With 20 schools launched in the first six months and more than 4,500 Level 0 and Level 1 training modules already completed, the pipeline of technician talent to local dealerships is well underway across the nation. Combined with NC3’s colleges’ deep commitment to industry-education partnerships and industry-driven education, the Mopar CAP Local program sets a new bar in America for how training should be conducted.”