Top 3 Questions You Should Ask an Automotive Training School Before Enrolling
Aspiring automotive and marine technicians know that an automotive training school can prepare you with the skills and knowledge you need to jumpstart your career. But, while researching schools in your area, what should you be looking for?
Asking purposeful questions can help you know you’re making the right decision for your goals and future. Here are the top three questions you should ask an automotive training school before you enroll:
Are you an accredited training school?
One of the most important questions you can pose to an automotive training school you’re reviewing is whether they have accreditation. Post-secondary training schools accredited by organizations like the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) are rigorously reviewed and tested to ensure that their programs, facilities, instructors, and community meet elite educational standards.
Why ask it? Enrolling in an accredited school means that you’ll be learning from professional instructors and working with a proficient staff, attending classes in safe and modern, up-to-par classrooms and shops, and be supported by individuals and resources that are dedicated to helping make sure you get the most out of your education.
Do you have specialty programs in automotive?
While some schools may only focus on automotive technology, others may offer programs that cater to teaching the skills required to pursue a career in other subsets of automotive. These might include working in the collision and reconditioning field, maintaining and repairing diesel engines, or exclusively working on the systems and equipment on marine boats.
Why ask it? While attending a post-secondary automotive training school for automotive technology can lead to an array of career opportunities post-diploma, taking some time to parse what it is you like most about working on cars can help you find a more focused direction, and maybe a program within the automotive industry that better aligns with your skillset.
What’s a day in the life of a student like?
Here’s where the rubber meets the road! If your search has brought you to a school that employs professional (ASE certified) technicians and offers programs that are based on standards set forth by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF), take the time to get to know the school’s atmosphere and approach at the student level.
Why ask it? This is somewhere you’ll be spending every day for the next two years—you want to make sure it’s an environment that gels with who you are and what you’re looking for!
Pro Tip: You can get abundant information by scheduling a campus tour with the automotive training school you’re considering. Like test driving a car before you buy it, immersing yourself in the campus environment can tell you a great deal about whether or not this is a place where you can see yourself attending and succeeding!
Get Your Pencil & Notebook Ready
We hope asking these questions helps get your search off to a great start and ultimately leads you to the training school that’s the best fit for you. If you’d like more fuel for your research, check out this free, detailed guide to what to look for in an automotive training school that will help your career go the distance!
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