Technicians Showcase Skills At ACDelco's Technician Of The Millennium IV Contest

GRAND BLANC, MICH. -- Technicians have an opportunity to show their skills and technical savvy at ACDelco's 2006 Technician of the Millennium (TOM) IV Contest taking place October 27, 2006 at the ACDelco National Convention in Las Vegas, Nev.

ACDelco recently announced the 2005 / 2006 Contest, its fourth one since 1999. Comprised of four phases, the TOM IV Contest measures technicians' automotive skills through written examinations and hands-on competitions. The ultimate winner is selected from eight semi-finalists who are judged on their professionalism and accuracy in diagnosing and repairing actual vehicles in a timed, hands-on skills competition for the title.

"Technician of the Millennium IV is a testament to the high caliber of technicians employed by Independent Service Centers enrolled in ACDelco's Total Service Support (TSS) Program," said Jeff Spitzer, director, Product Service and Training for GM's Service and Parts Operations. "The competition gets women and men alike excited about automotive service careers to help address the technician shortage the industry as a whole is tackling."

Prequalification, or Phase I, required technicians to enroll by December 15, 2005 (December 16 for Canada). In order for technicians to advance to the next level, they must possess current ASE certifications in Brakes (A5) and Electrical Systems (A6), or, for Canadian residents only, the equivalent Canadian certification. All participants who registered for the Contest and have current ASE certifications in the aforementioned areas will advance to Phase II.

In early February 2006, Phase II will take place and consists of a 100-question, Internet-based test. Pre-qualified participants from Phase I will compete against each other and the top five scorers in each of ACDelco's five regions will advance to the regional semi-finals. Testing results will be distributed in the Spring of 2006.

The Phase III regional semi-finals will be held in early May 2006 in Michigan with a regional contest occurring each day of the week. The five Phase II finalists from each region will compete against each other in a hands-on competition to determine the regional winner. Results from Phase III testing will be announced the evening of the competition with regional winners advancing to the National Finals.

ACDelco's Technician of the Millennium IV will be named at the National Hands-on Finals in Las Vegas, Nev., during ACDelco's National Convention on October 27, 2006. Five U.S. finalists, along with three Canadian finalists, will go up against each other in a hands-on competition to determine the ultimate winner. Prizes will be announced at a later date.

"This competition is our way of acknowledging the 'best of the best' technicians throughout the U.S. and Canada who demonstrate the highest level of expertise and professionalism," said Spitzer. "It's a great opportunity to showcase the talents of ACDelco's professional 'Real Car Guys' whom you rely on to fix your vehicle right."

Complete rules and guidelines for the Regional Semi-Final and National Final competitions will be provided to participants prior to the competition in a contestants' meeting. Please visit acdelcotechconnect.com for further details. TSS technicians involved in the National Finals of the previous (2002/2003) Technician of the Millennium III contest, as well as any participant who has been a National Grand Prize winner of any previous TOM contest, are not eligible to participate. For assistance or additional information about the contest, call 1-800-825-5886, prompt #1.

ACDelco markets premium parts for Ford, Chrysler, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, GM and practically every other vehicle on the road today. To find an ACDelco parts retailer or ACDelco certified technician near you, log on to acdelco.com or call 1-800-ACDelco.