Iowa tech honored as Motor Age Training's best

Dec. 23, 2014
With a  quarter-century of time under the hood under his belt, Mark Armbrecht has spent nearly as much time teaching technicians the trade. He also was named the 2014 Motor Age Training/ASE Master L1 Technician of the Year.

With a quarter-century of time under the hood under his belt, Mark Armbrecht has spent nearly as much time teaching technicians the trade.

Armbrecht, an instructor at Des Moines Area Community College in Ankeny, Iowa, has been an automotive, ASEP and CAP instructor for 20 years. He also was named the 2014 Motor Age Training/ASE Master L1 Technician of the Year. He teaches basic and advanced electrical courses as well as basic and advanced engine performance.

“I enjoy being an automotive technician as well as an automotive instructor because of the daily challenge it presents. Automotive technology is constantly changing and there is nothing like the feeling of helping someone else out by diagnosing and repairing their tough automotive problem,” says Armbrecht, who in the past has taught basic and advanced engines, steering and suspension, brakes, and shop fundamentals. He also has taught for CARQUEST Technical Institute and ASA-Midwest.

He notes that he focuses mostly on engine performance and electrical issues now because they are his true passion, just like teaching.

“After I graduated from tech school, I worked for a GM-Chrysler dealer and in five years it more than doubled in size. There were some growing pains, so I was looking for a change,” Armbrecht says. “At that time, the GM factory training job at DMACC came up and I decided to apply for the job. I didn’t think that I would ever get the job, but I was hired. It was a good life lesson – as the Great One says ‘You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.’”

“I also believe that my upbringing had an influence on making the change to instruction. My mom was a teacher and my dad was good at teaching me many different skills,” he continues. “They both put a lot of emphasis on education and understood the value of applied education and how it could positively change someone’s life. So I am sure that growing up in the environment that I did had an influence on the decision to move into instruction.”

Armbrecht says his teaching style keeps a good balance between hands-on and book-focused learning.  “Knowledge is good, but applied knowledge is power! I do as little lecture as possible. I have my students read and study a topic on their own before I cover it in class. Then during class have a two-way conversation with my students about the topic and I answer their questions. Next we apply the knowledge to diagnosis, repair, and service in the lab.”

The admittedly relatively quiet and reserved man started as a line technician in a GM/Chrysler dealer before moving into education. He notes that people often are surprised to learn he is an instructor because of his demeanor. But they usually are not surprised that he is passionate about the automotive industry.

“As a kid, I was always tinkering with something: trying to build, fix,  modify,  figure out how something worked, or a combination of these,” Armbrecht states. “When I was a little older, I enjoyed helping fix my dad’s farm equipment and then in high school I took an applied physics course called ‘Principles of Technology,’ which peaked my interest in electricity and electronics, so becoming an automotive technician was a logical choice.”

After making the move to instructor, the Iowa man has learned even more and come away with many positive experiences. He explains that he enjoys being able to see students’ growth, learning and maturing from not only the beginning of a class to the end, but from the first semester to graduation. Also, the thanks he receives from students is empowering.

“Having students come back after a class is completed or after they graduate and say ‘thank you’ for what they learned and how you helped them become a better technician,” he states. “Many say that my classes were not the easiest, but they learned a lot and gained skills that they use and apply as automotive technicians on a daily basis. It makes all the hard work worth it when you know that you helped someone improve their life.”

He earned a degree in automotive electronics technology from Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo, Iowa, and continued on with education from numerous GM, Chrysler and Ford classes as well as other automotive organizations such as VISION Hi-Tech. In addition to his ASE certifications, he is a GM and Chrysler Master Technician.

“ASE certification is the most widely recognized certification in the automotive service industry and customers understand the importance and value it brings when looking for an automotive repair facility,” Armbrecht says. “Since ASE certification is not mandatory, it signifies that the technician put the time, effort, and resources into becoming ASE certified because they wanted to be identified as more than just a technician, but as an ASE certified technician to differentiate themselves from other technicians. I encourage my students to become ASE certified because it indicates that they have achieved a level of knowledge and skill that will allow them to become top technicians if they continue to work on and improve their craft on a daily basis.”

Armbrecht and his wife, Gale, welcomed their first child, Isaac, in December, and he plans on instilling in him the values of teaching and automotive repair in him. When not in a class, he is an active member of St. John Lutheran Church, State Center, Iowa, serving as an elder and the high school youth leader, and spends as much time outdoors as possible.

Sponsored Recommendations

ZEUS+: The Cutting-Edge Diagnostic Solution for Smart, Fast, and Efficient Auto Repairs

The new ZEUS+ simplifies your diagnostic process and guides you through the right repair, avoiding unnecessary steps along the way. It gives you the software coverage, processing...

Diagnostic Pre- and Post-scan Reports are Solid Gold for Profitability

The following article highlights the significance of pre-scans and post-scans, particularly with Snap-on scan tools, showcasing their efficiency in diagnosing issues and preventing...

Unlock Precision and Certainty: TRITON-D10 Webinar Training for Advanced Vehicle Diagnostics

The TRITON-D10 lets you dig deep into the systems of a vehicle and evaluate performance with comparative data, systematically eliminating the unnecessary to provide you with only...

APOLLO-D9: Trustworthy Diagnostics for Precision Repairs

The APOLLO-D9 provides the diagnostic information and resources you need to get the job done. No more hunting through forums or endlessly searching to find the right answers. ...

Voice Your Opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Vehicle Service Pros, create an account today!