Mercedes-Benz USA Elite Training Program Graduates 1,000th Student
Premier Program For Entry-Level Technicians Fills Industry Need
MONTVALE, N.J., Nov. 7 -- Mercedes-Benz USA's (MBUSA) ELITE Technician Training Program, the comprehensive career training initiative established for entry-level technicians, recently graduated its 1,000th student. Paul Manley of Ramona, Calif., a graduate of Ramona High School and the Universal Technical Institute in Phoenix, Ariz., completed the ELITE Technician Training Program in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. and is now employed by Mercedes-Benz of Escondido. The ELITE program, a 16-week intensive training initiative specific to Mercedes-Benz and modeled upon German apprentice programs, was designed to respond to an industry need to find qualified entry-level technicians.
"I feel well prepared for my new job at Mercedes-Benz of Escondido," said Paul Manley, ELITE program graduate. "Through ELITE, I trained on Mercedes-Benz vehicles and was able to build my skills and knowledge to prepare me for my job as a technician."
The ELITE Technician Training Program was established in May 1998 in Rancho Cucamonga in partnership with Universal Technical Institute (UTI), one of the nation's leading providers of technical education training, to supply training and facilities. ELITE was designed to develop and recruit qualified students and aims to build the skills of technicians to perform service maintenance and repairs according to Mercedes-Benz methods and procedures. Through ELITE, MBUSA trains over 400 skilled Mercedes-Benz technicians annually. The success of the ELITE program has enabled MBUSA to develop and launch a Collision Repair Technology Program in June 2003.
"We are pleased that through the ELITE program, we have created a unique opportunity for young people to join the Mercedes-Benz world," said Paul Halata, Mercedes-Benz USA President and CEO. "The intensive training allows students to gain knowledge and skills specific to our products; skills that are especially valuable to Mercedes-Benz dealerships."
ELITE is open to students who have completed a Master NATEF (National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation) certified secondary automotive program. Candidates are selected after a review of their qualifications and an interview process. Accepted students participate in the ELITE program at one of five training facilities throughout the United States, including: Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., Houston, Texas, Orlando, Fla., Glendale Heights, Ill. and Allentown, Pa. Upon completion, students are prepared for employment with an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Tuition is paid in full by MBUSA authorized dealers for qualified participants. The ELITE program recruits students from NATEF Master Certified Automotive programs around the country, including: Universal Technical Institute, Lincoln Technical Institute, Denver Auto Diesel, Nashville Auto Diesel, Ohio Auto Diesel, New England Institute of Technology, Baran Institute of Technology, Automotive Training Center, University of Northwestern Ohio, Wyoming Tech and community college programs nationwide.
"The training path that was set up by Mercedes-Benz USA to help promote local talent for our dealers has been extremely successful," said Doug Gilbert, service director of Mercedes-Benz of Escondido, CA. "Local high school students intern at the dealership, go on to UTI and then to the ELITE program and back to the dealer. When Mercedes-Benz developed ELITE, we had long term goals in mind. We knew our dealerships were expanding and we would need more entry-level technicians in the future."
To stimulate interest in the high-paying jobs and career opportunities that the automotive industry can provide, MBUSA works with Automotive Youth Educational Systems, Inc. (AYES), the Troy, Mich., non-profit organization that develops partnerships between automotive retail centers and secondary/vocational schools that offer high-quality automotive technology programs. Advanced training through the ELITE program is made possible due to preliminary student training at the high school level through AYES which supplies a standardized curriculum that can be used by any of the 334 AYES-affiliated high schools in the United States.
A structured, on-site work-study experience is the foundation of the AYES program. AYES has schools in 44 states with 5,664 student interns, 3,912 mentors and works with 3,952 participating dealers nationwide. Students who participate in an AYES high school program receive training in NATEF/ASE courses and are available to work at dealerships between their junior/senior summer break and part-time during their senior year. AYES training prepares a student for a secondary automotive curriculum, such as the curriculum offered at UTI, before he or she applies for the ELITE program.
In addition to partnering with AYES and developing the ELITE program, MBUSA also supports students interested in building careers in the automotive industry through sponsorship at the local level. MBUSA supports Automotive High School, a career and technical trade school located in Brooklyn. The school was founded in 1923 and aims to develop students for the workforce with a specific focus on the automotive industry. MBUSA is working with Automotive High School to review the automotive curriculum, create an after-school robotics team and support two Virtual Enterprise companies -- simulated businesses that are set up and run by students with the instruction of a teacher/facilitator and business partner. MBUSA's goal is to provide support and guidance at the preliminary stages to effectively prepare Automotive High School graduates to become ELITE program graduates and ultimately, MBUSA employees.
Mercedes-Benz USA
Mercedes-Benz USA, headquartered in Montvale, N.J., is responsible for the sales, service and marketing of Mercedes-Benz and Maybach vehicles in the United States. The company employs approximately 1,500 people in 20 locations across the U.S. Mercedes-Benz sold 213,225 vehicles in the U.S. during 2002, setting the highest sales volume in its history.
Universal Technical Institute
Universal Technical Institute is one of the nation's leading NATEF Master Certified providers of post-secondary technical education training. Its group of schools includes: Universal Technical Institute, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, Marine Mechanics Institute and NASCAR Technical Institute. Campus locations offering automotive training include; Phoenix, AZ, Rancho Cucamonga, CA, Mooresville, NC, Glendale Heights, IL, and Houston, TX. Visit www.uticorp.com for more information.
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