With an ongoing, critical shortage of automotive technicians, Florida Career College (FCC) is expanding its program to strengthen the beleaguered trade.
According to a recent report from Tech Foundation, the demand for entry-level technicians is at an all-time high with some 258,000 needed by the year 2025. The report also found that demand outpaced the supply of new automotive technicians by nearly five to one.
To combat this shortage, FCC announced it was expanding its Automotive Technician program in South Florida at the FCC campus locations in Lauderdale Lakes and West Palm Beach. FCC is now enrolling students to start on February 28 and will offer both day and evening classes.
“We first launched the Automotive Technician program at our Hialeah campus in 2020 and it has been a very popular program,” said Philip Seibold, Automotive Program Chair. “Our program is designed to provide graduates with the level of knowledge, skills, and hands-on shop training they will need to begin an automotive career as soon as they graduate.”
FCC noted that Automotive Technician students at FCC can earn their diploma in as few as 10 months, with the college offering comprehensive career services for all students, including career placement assistance. Financial aid is also available to those who qualify.
“At Florida Career College we work directly with industry employers and subject matter experts to design training programs that prepare our graduates with relevant, current skills,” said Lynn Mulherin, Regional Vice President of Operations at FCC. “The Automotive Technician program is continually being updated based on the needs of the sector. For example, the increasing popularity of electric vehicles has contributed to the growing need for skilled automotive technicians who are trained to perform repairs on both traditional and electric systems.”
FCC also highlighted its new labs, which will allow students to work in a setting that will simulate a shop environment.
“Students will train in our new automotive labs, where they can practice on real vehicles and develop practical skills,” Seibold said. “Through a combination of diagnostics and repair training, exposure to both basic and advanced skills and techniques, and hands-on application of skills in a shop environment, students will build the foundation they need, and learn to bring value to automotive shops.”