Texas Students in State Championship for National Automotive Student Skills Contest
HOUSTON--April 29, 2003--Fifteen two-student teams from Texas schools have qualified to compete in the state finals of the Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills national contest on Saturday, May 10 at Space Center Houston.The students will compete against one another by demonstrating the skills they've acquired to succeed as automotive technicians - one of the nation's most in-demand, highest paying careers. They will diagnose and repair problems in deliberately "bugged" vehicles while racing against the clock and each other.
"Tomorrow's drivers face a traffic jam at the auto repair shop if we don't attract and train more young people for automotive careers," said Rick Lalor, manager of the AAA Texas "Road to the Future" educational program. "Right now, the annual demand for qualified auto technicians exceeds the supply by about 80,000. The contest is a great vehicle for automotive teachers to attract and hold students' interest in these careers."
The Texas finalists qualified for the competition with a two-hour written exam testing their knowledge of automotive diagnostics and repair against a field of 40 local teams.
The winner of the state finals will compete in the national AAA Skills Contest on June 24 in Washington, D.C. The national champion will receive scholarships, awards and prizes valued at more than $70,000.
The winning Texas team members will win automotive equipment for their school, as well as a $3,000 scholarship to one of 60 higher-education schools participating in Ford Motor Company's ASSET (Automotive Student Service Educational Training) program. Successful completion of the ASSET program provides students with a two-year associate degree in automotive service. Most of these graduates go on to become technicians at Ford and LincolnMercury dealerships, and some progress to management positions.
The scholarships will assist the students in attaining highly paid careers. Those with two-year degrees will be able to earn about $30,000 annually, with a salary growth range up to $75,000 or even $100,000 annually. The highest demand is for technicians with strong computer, electronics and math skills.
The Texas finalists are:
High School, City Students Instructor
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Stuart Career Ctr. -Baytown Justin Kay, 17 Steve Barron
Brian Gustin, 17
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Bellaire HS- Bellaire Alec Nettleton, 18 Michael Hanlen
Lev Shuhatovich, 18
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Bryan HS- Bryan Travis Thurmond, 18 Nathan McCann
Brandon Maly, 18
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Cy-Fair HS- Cypress Brandon Moon, 17 Donald Kessler
John Schwarzbach, 18
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Elgin HS- Elgin Wade Haywood, 17 Chuck Fromme
Stephen Hutchison, 18
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Birdville HS- Ft. Worth Michael Feldhaus, 18 Olin Harrington
Justin Smith, 18
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Hallsville HS- Hallsville Ryan Freeman,16 Kenneth Menges
Robert Fuller, 17
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Karnes City HS- Karnes City David Wiatrek, 17 Allen Hons
Adam Janysek, 16
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Kingwood HS- Kingwood Alexis Armstrong, 17 Joe Chadwick
James Hearne, 17
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Klein HS- Klein Mark Mason, 18 Andy Mize
Richard Henthorne,17
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Lancaster HS- Lancaster Austin Conrad, 18 Art Fagan
Jesse Ochoa, 18
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Levelland HS- Levelland William Daugherty, 18 Erich Loafman
James Gregory, 17
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Dale Jackson Career Ctr.- Alex Italia, 18 Anthony Marino
Lewisville Doug Emery, 17
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John Marshall HS- San Antonio Kenneth Albers, 18 Thomas Berger
Nicholas Stewart, 17
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Seminole HS- Seminole Cornelius Wiebe, 18 Bob Summer
John Harms, 17
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AAA Texas, an affiliate of the American Automobile Association, has been serving Texans since 1902. Today, more than a million AAA Texas' members benefit by the organization's roadside assistance service, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing, buying and financing, trip planning services, and traffic safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on AAA Texas' web site at www.aaa-texas.com.