Nearly 700 students from the metro Atlanta area were the guests of NACE Automechanika as the event entered its last day on Friday, August 10.
Dennis Smith, President and CEO of Messe Frankfurt, Inc., the show organizer, welcomed the students on their arrival at the Georgia World Congress Center. Before they were set free to explore the show floor, though, the students were introduced to the opportunities the automotive industry has to offer by a panel of experts, under the umbrella of the show’s Career Connection.
Panelists were Jason Rainey, NAPA; Matthew Beard, Metro Atlanta Automotive Dealers Association; Ryan Ross, Akzo Nobel; Jim Silverman, Women’s Industry Network; Stephen Ponticelli, Standard Motor Products; Kevin and Brian Hough, Kennesaw and Cedarcrest AutoCare Centers; Shawn Collins, Technician Academy; and Brandon Eckenrode, CREF, moderator.
Watch Jason by clicking here.
All the speakers echoed common themes – that there is more to our industry than just becoming a technician, that there are numerous opportunities to grow, and there is as much potential for success in the trades as there is fields requiring more formal, and costly, education.
After the event, students were invited to explore the show floor and talk to the exhibiting companies about the individual opportunities their firms offered.
