In addition to leaving with improved knowledge for industry success, one annual training event is sending you back to your shop with more than just information — you’ll be getting a tablet as well.
The 15th Annual TST Tech Training Big Event, scheduled for March 17 at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown, NY, is featuring the first electronic handout automotive seminar in the country, which includes with registration an Android tablet loaded with three full-color manuals and a newsletter.
“Since paper manuals had exceeded $25,000 last year, we thought for a bit more we could save some trees and time. The TST board and myself are volunteers — no one gets paid — we do it for the betterment of the industry. Now the attendees won’t have to lug around a big stack of manuals that they may not use,” said G. Jerry Truglia, owner of Automotive Technician Training Services and president of Technicians Service Training (TST). “They can utilize the tablet to review the notes and the presentations and use it to play music and surf the internet after the event. For the vendors, there is a better chance that the attendees will use the tablet and view the sponsor logo and short videos that we have copied on to the tablets.”
The event features a hot breakfast, lunch and snacks throughout the day, along with a keynote speaker and three training seminars featuring Jim Moritz of Snap-on, Edwin Hazzard with Southeast Mobile, Bernie Thompson with ATS and keynote speaker Chris Chesney of the Carquest Technical Institute.
Moritz will lead “The Power in Overlooked Fundamentals” and will review using accessories with your scope and meter to simplify diagnostic challenges, working with pressure probles, low and high amps probes, using ShopStream Connect to tame unruly data, high load circuit tests, why an ohmmeter is not enough, quick and easy electronic compression testing, misleading and sympathetic codes and cause and effect and misfire diagnostics made easy.
“Keeping Your Diagnostics Simple” will be lead by Hazzard, who will provide you with the keys in making your diagnosis simple by gathering as much information as possible. When you ask questions and write information down, along with following some other simple steps in this seminar, you will be able to perform your diagnostic routine easily.
Thompson will teach “Understanding Control Areas Network (CAN).” Communications have been essential from the beginning of history. In the modern vehicle, communications are vital in order to control the onboard systems within the vehicle. The first electrical data communications was Morse code, where on-off signals were timed to provide information that would be sent on a wire. This basic idea of on (high)-off (low) signals is still the main way onboard vehicle communications send and receive communications. This class will cover how the Control Area Network (CAN) works, how to diagnose the CAN system, and how to properly repair bus problems. With many real-world case studies, you will learn how to quickly diagnose this advanced communication system where it counts — in your service bays.
“With today’s vehicle being so complex, if a technician does not stay up to date they will evaporate. TST provides five to six training event per year, along with webcast and special Motor Age/TST webcasts that provide needed information to help technicians and shop owners stay current and learn a few good things along the way,” Truglia said. “Also, besides the instructors providing information, there is a big benefit to being involved in our training event as networking with other shop owners has always been a big help to our attendees. Last year we had attendees from 19 different states and two countries; techs and owners drove and flew from all over to be at the event.”
The event is put on with the help and support of sponsors including Motor Age, ATTS, Automotive Test Solutions, Autologic, Neutronics, Drew Tech, Flo-Dynamics, CPS, GTC (General Technologies Corp), LAUNCH, NAPA, Mitchell 1, Identifix, iATN, ATEQ TPMS Tools, along with at least 20 others.
Now in its 15th year, the Big Event has evolved over the years, and Truglia looks to continue developing the event further in the future. “Our roots are linked to the Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) technicians group, Service Technician Society (STS), where I was a board member and the last president of the group before SAE decided to shut it down. Since I had a large following of students from teaching all over the country, I was able to get technicians and shop owners to join STS from states as far away as Alaska, Hawaii to Florida and Maine,” Truglia said.
He continued to grow STS chapters — with help from technicians including Pierre Respaut, John Anello, Basil Stratos and Rich Peterson — in New York, New Jersey, Maine and Connecticut.
“TST is still providing training to techs and shop owners under the TST banner in these states at least five times a year besides the Big Event. TST also provides help to technicians with almost 300 videos on our TSTseminars YouTube channel. Our Big Training event started with only 100 or so attendees and has grown to over 461 last year,” Truglia said.
Registration for the event is now open, with the early bird rate of $100 ending on Jan. 14. Registration will then be $125 until Feb. 11, and $150 from then until March 7, when registration closes.
You can register online at www.TSTseminars.org, or send checks to TST at 11 Lupi Plaza, Mahopac, NY 10541.
