A new two-year Automotive Technology degree program beginning at Mt. Hood Community College this fall will provide Subaru factory-certified training to prepare students to work as technicians at Subaru dealerships.
The Automotive Technology – Subaru U Associate of Applied Science degree program will also meet an increased industry demand for Subaru automotive technicians.
MHCC first partnered with Subaru of America in 2015 to provide the Subaru U online factory certification to its Automotive Technology students. Since then, the training has been provided through the college’s Automotive Technology – IMPORT (Individualized Mechanical Program Of Repair Technicians) associate degree program. The new Subaru U degree program will pair students with sponsoring Subaru dealerships, providing paid, on-the-job training and full-time positions after graduation.
“Our students love Subarus and they frequently tell us they want to work on them,” said Eric Garvey, MHCC automotive instructor. “Plus, there’s a huge regional demand here in the Pacific Northwest for Subaru cars and SUVs, so it’s a win-win.”
MHCC is presently working with nine Subaru dealerships throughout Oregon to provide students with sponsorships. In 2017, more than 30 students completed the Subaru U online factory certification, which Subaru provided at no cost to MHCC students. Subaru has also donated equipment and five training vehicles for Automotive Technology students to work on.
“We have the training vehicles, the tools and equipment to teach this curriculum already,” said MHCC automotive instructor Steve Michener. “Our students currently train on factory-level Subaru technology and can earn a Subaru-specific degree and factory certification, as well as their ASE [Automotive Service Excellence] Certified Master Technician.”
A shortage of service technicians nationwide makes now a great time to begin a career in the automotive industry. The TechForce Foundation estimates an average of 75,900 technician jobs (both newly created positions and openings made available by those leaving the industry) become available each year.
You can learn more about MHCC’s Automotive Technology programs by visiting mhcc.edu/AutomotiveTechnology