California students win national tech competition

Matt Bezkrovny and Adam Whelan, students at Agoura High School in Agoura Hills, California, finished first at the 2009 National Automotive Technology Competition.

The students — Team Lexus — are sponsored by the Greater Los Angeles Automobile Dealers 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 Technician. The first prize team members each receive $10,000 worth of Snap-on Tools from General Motors, multiple scholarship offers, and other very substantial prizes. The winner's school will receive a Scion XB from Toyota Motor Sales, USA.

Their instructor is John Anderson. Second place went to Team Mazda, Kevin Brichall and Eric Salb, whose instructor is Norm Arding. They attend Northview Heights Secondary School in North York, Canada, and were sponsored by the Toronto Automotive Dealers Association. Third place was Team Toyota, Jessica Lawrence and Daniel Miller, from Watauga high School in Elk Park, N.C. Their instructor is Larry Jones, and they were sponsored by North Carolina Automobile Dealers Association.

The National Finals were in New York in conjunction with the New York International Automobile Show. This year, prizes and scholarships totaling more than $3.5 million were awarded to the participants. Snap-on, the Competition's Official Tool Supplier, provided tool sets to all competitors and General Motors awarded $10,000 worth of Snap-on tools to each first place team member.

"In addition to the valuable prizes and scholarships that these students win, the National Automotive Technology Competition is a tremendous opportunity for some of the best students in America to be introduced to various automobile manufacturers, auto dealers, auto industry suppliers, and college recruiters," says Mark Schienberg, president of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association. "These students represent the future of the industry and will become the single most important link between manufacturer and the consumer."

"Over the past 19 years the National Automotive Technology Competition has established itself as a leader in automotive education, piquing the interest of thousands of students each year. It gives students the opportunity to develop their skills in a fun, competitive, and rewarding environment. With the increasing use of sophisticated technology in cars today as well as an aging work population, it's critical that the automobile industry attracts talented, young minds into this business," Schienberg adds.

How the Contest Works
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 where the skills they learn from master technicians help prepare them to succeed in the working world.

For more information, visit www.nationalautotech.com.