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100 Top Auto Technician Students To Compete In Nation's Capital, AAA Says

15 June 1999

100 Top Auto Technician Students To Compete In Nation's Capital, AAA Says

    ORLANDO, Fla., June 14 -- The top high school automotive
technicians from each state will be competing in the national finals of the
FORD/AAA STUDENT AUTO SKILLS competition in Washington, D.C., on June 21.
    The competition distributes more than $10 million in scholarships and
prizes.
    Fifty new Ford vehicles will be deliberately and identically bugged and
lined up south of the Lincoln Memorial for this hands-on test of high-tech
auto repair.
    "There is a tremendous shortage of trained automotive technicians in our
country and around the world," said James Dunst, Auto Skills contest manager.
"This program is designed to encourage young people to enter this career
field."
    According to the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 15,000 experienced automotive technicians have been retiring
annually for the last 10 years.  In addition, the number of new technicians
entering the field has been dropping at a rate of 3,500 per year.
    The competition this year will take on an international flavor as teams
from Canada and Australia compete in a parallel competition.  Representatives
from the Russia, Argentina and the United Kingdom will be observing the
competition.
    The STUDENT AUTO SKILLS competition draws more than 6,000 students
nationwide.  Every student participating in the national finals has been
offered a full two-year scholarship to any of the 61 Ford ASSET (Automotive
Student Service Educational Training) programs.  Participants in the program
can earn a two-year associate degree in automotive technology and get a chance
to "earn-as-they-learn" by working at Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealerships.
    Contest activities begin at 8:45 a.m. with the competition beginning at
9:15 a.m. and concluding at 10:45 a.m.  The winners will be announced at
11:30 a.m.