Apprenticeship Programs
The Pennsylvania Automotive Association Foundation and the Pennsylvania Truck Dealers (PTD), through the cooperation of member dealers around the state, sponsor the Automotive and Heavy Duty Truck Technician Registered Apprenticeship Programs. PAAF also developed the Automotive Maintenance Specialist Apprenticeship Program. The programs' standards are regulated and approved by the Pennsylvania Apprenticeship and Training Council, the United States Committee on Apprenticeships, and the Pennsylvania Automotive Association Foundation.
Students who successfully complete either the Maintenance Specialist Apprenticeship or the Technician Apprenticeship programs will obtain training and education that provides an opportunity for lifelong job security in their chosen field of automotive or heavy-duty truck technology.
The required curriculum of the Automotive Maintenance Specialist Apprenticeship program, which combines on-the-job training with technical instruction, provides an important foundation for success and advancement in the automotive industry.
As a student registered in the PAA Maintenance Specialist Apprenticeship Program you may receive the following benefits:
576 hours of Automotive Technical Instruction
Automotive fundamentals 75 hours
Automotive Safety Training (SP-2) 6 hours
Electrical Basics 100 hours
Braking Systems 75 hours
Suspension & Steering 75 hours
PA Safety Inspection 16 hours
PA Emissions Inspection 12 hours
Fuels and Emissions 75 hours
Communication/Math Skills 142 hours
2,000 hours of paid, hands-on training
Automotive fundamentals 200 hours
Automotive Safety Training (SP-2) 100 hours
Electronics 700 hours
Fuels and Emissions 300 hours
Braking Systems 300 hours
PA Safety Inspection 200 hours
PA Emission Inspection 200 hours
The guidance of an experienced dealership mentor
Employment at a sponsoring dealership
Discounted MATCO tool program
Technicians meeting all requirements will be awarded a Journeyperson certificate as an Automotive Maintenance Specialist from the PA Apprenticeship and Training Council, the Federal Committee on Apprenticeship, and the Pennsylvania Automotive Association Foundation.
Today’s technicians work in a high-tech environment and must be skilled diagnosticians and troubleshooters. They are smart and well educated with a solid background in math, science and computers as well as good communication and reasoning skills. In addition, these automotive and heavy-duty truck technicians work in fast-paced, well organized facilities with extremely high tech diagnostic equipment.
The Automotive and Heavy Duty Truck Technician Apprentice Programs are 3-5 years in length with 576 hours of required academic and technical courses and 6000 hours of on-the-job training.
576 hours of Automotive Technical Instruction
Automotive Entry Level Skills 20 hours
Engine Performance 200 hours
Electrical/Electronic 180 hours
Suspension and Steering Systems 80 hours
Brake Systems 80 hours
PA State Inspection Certification 12 hours
ASE Certifications 4 hours
A-4 Suspension & Steering
A-5 Brakes
A-6 Electrical/Electronic Systems
A-8 Engine Performance
6,000 hours of paid, hands-on training
Automotive Entry Level Skills 300 hours
Electrical/Electronic/Engine Management Systems 1000 hours
Brake Systems 500 hours
Power Train/Automatic Transmission & Transaxle 800 hours
Steering and Suspension Systems 400 hours
Engine Systems/Service 700 hours
Fuel Systems/Service 400 hours
Manual Drive Train & Axles 500 hours
Ignition System/Service 250 hours
Emission Control Systems/Service 550 hours
Heating and Air Conditioning Systems 400 hours
State Safety & Emission Inspection 200 hours
Apprentices receive:
Employment at a sponsoring dealership
The guidance of an experienced dealership mentor
Discounted MATCO tool program.
Technicians meeting all requirements will be awarded a journeyperson license as an Automotive Technician from the PA Apprenticeship and Training Council, the Federal Committee on Apprenticeship, and the Pennsylvania Automotive Association Foundation.