Tony Litz and Nick Schroeder, students at Wallenpaupack Area High School in Hawley, Pennsylvania, finished in 1st place at the 2015 National Automotive Technology Competition. The students are sponsored by the Pennsylvania Automotive Association. The Competition, the auto industry's largest school-to-work initiative, pits the nation's best high school automotive vocational education students against one another for the title of 'America's Top Technicians'. The National Competition includes ten workstations (job interview, CAN Bus (controller area network), STEM, brakes, wheel alignment and balance, wiring repair, Information retrieval, hybrid vehicle repair, mechanical, SP/2 shop safety) and diagnosing and fixing a 'bugged' automobile. Tony and Nick are the first team from Pennsylvania to win the Competition.
"Computer systems dominate today's new cars and trucks so the students who make it to the finals of this Competition have shown that they have an extraordinary ability to combine highly technical knowhow with problem solving abilities. We need these highly motivated and talented young people in dealerships across the country to make sure vehicle owners have access to technicians with the best computer and technical skills," said Mark Schienberg, president of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association.
The National Finals, held in New York in conjunction with the New York International Automobile Show, are possible thanks to the generous contributions of over 125 industry sponsors including automakers, industry organizations, OEM suppliers, educational institutions, and dealers associations from across the country. This year, prizes and scholarships totaling more than $3 million were awarded to the participants. Snap-on, the Competition's Official Tool Supplier, provided tool sets to all competitors.
"High quality vocational training is a critical part of our Nation's education needs and this Competition is designed to encourage more rigorous standards for vocational education to ensure students master the skills they need to succeed as lifelong learners, workers and citizens," continued Schienberg.
From 1993 to today, the National Automotive Technology Competition has brought the nation's best high school automotive technicians to test their skills, measure their knowledge, and challenge their ability to diagnose and repair vehicles.
First Place Students: Tony Litz and Nick Schroeder (Team Chevrolet) School: Wallenpaupack Area High School, Hawley, PA Instructor: Dr. Mark Watson, WAHS Automotive Tech instructor Association: Pennsylvania Automotive AssociationHow the Contest Works The rules of the contest are simple. Each team of students is assigned an automobile that is rigged to malfunction in a number of ways. Using a repair order with actual customer complaints, the student teams must diagnose and repair the problem within the allotted time, using the manufacturer's specialty tools. Each "bug" correctly diagnosed and repaired is worth a number of points, depending on the level of difficulty.In addition, the students' knowledge of emissions control systems, alignment, electrical test equipment, airbag components, oscilloscope usage and mechanical measurement equipment is tested during a series of intensive work station sessions. To prepare for the competition, students are trained at local new car dealerships and the skills they learn from master technicians prepare them to succeed in the working world.
1st Place Prizes Include:- Custom Snap-on Air Tool Plaque
- Snap-on Top Tool Chest
- Snap-on Bottom Roll Cabinet
- Snap-on Cordless Screw Gun Kit
- General Motors Corporation, $10,000 worth of Snap-on Tools
- Automotive Training Center, a Full Tuition Scholarship
- Lincoln Technical Institute, a Full Tuition Scholarship
- Universal Technical Institute, a Full ASE Master Certified Automotive Program Tuition Scholarship
- Ohio Technical College, a $20,000 Scholarship
- New England Institute of Technology a $2,000 Scholarship
- The University of Northwestern Ohio, a Full Tuition Scholarship
- Toyota, a donation vehicle for the School
- Hunter Engineering Company, Hunter Smart Weight Wheel Balancer for the School
- Megatech Corporation, the NEWEST Electricity, Magnetism, and Materials Solution Trainer for the school
- Motor Age Training, the Complete Car & Light Truck Automotive Set Digital Edition (A1-A9) for the school
- Electude International, a school License for 50 Students to have access to their on-line training programs
- ConsuLab Training Aids, the Automotive Training Package for the School
- Miller Welders, a Millermatic 180 Auto-Set™ MIG Welder for the School
