Greater New York Auto Dealers Focus Attention on Vocational Education at 10th Anniversary of the Center for Automotive Education & Training

NEW YORK, Dec. 30, 2015 -- With the focus on the thousands of young men and women from diverse backgrounds who have trained, qualified and entered into high-paying skilled jobs in local area dealerships, the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association marked the 10th Anniversary of the opening of the Center for Automotive Education & Training in Whitestone, Queens. The event included guest speakers who have been through the Center's training programs as well as legislators and industry representatives.  Over 250 people attended the event. Since opening its doors in 2005, the Center has hosted more than 80,000 visitors including 36,780 dealership employees and held 2,503 seminars, events and launches.

"Right from the start, this was one the most exciting projects in this Association's 106-year history and it started what has become an incredibly valuable resource for the retail automotive industry and for the thousands of individuals looking to make long-lasting careers in our industry," said Mark Schienberg, president of the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association.

"One of the cornerstones of this facility has been its ability to attract young men and women into our industry. We know just how important it is to teach skills and provide workers with the tools they need to succeed. We also know that when dealerships invest in on-going education and training for their employees, it has positive long-term effects for all," continued Schienberg.  

The event included remarks, via video, from the Honorable Charles E.  Schumer, United States Senator, D-NY; Honorable Joseph Crowley, U.S. House of Representatives, D-NY 14^th District (Queens, Bronx); Honorable Grace Meng, U.S. House of Representatives, D-NY 6^th District (Queens), the Honorable Melinda Katz, Queens Borough President and Michael Mulgrew, President United Federation of Teachers.

"I offer my heartfelt congratulations to the Center for Automotive Education & Training. This type of education and workforce development is just what we need. Every industry should be doing what you're doing," said Senator Schumer.

Speakers at the event included NY State Senator Toby Stavisky (District 16); NY State Assemblyman Edward Braunstein (District 26); Terri Egan, Executive Deputy Commissioner, New York Department of Motor Vehicles; Sterling Roberson, vice president for Career and Technical Education, UFT; and Scott Shaw, CEO and President of Lincoln Technical Institute.

To mark the 10^th Anniversary ten scholarships of $5,000 each were presented to ten students from the following schools: Thomas Edison High School (Queens), Automotive High School (Brooklyn), H.B. Ward (Riverhead), Wilson Tech (Northport), Rockland BOCES, Wilson Tech (Dix Hills). In addition, four students from Lincoln Technical Institute were each also awarded $5,000.

Ten 1.2-liter four-cylinder General Motors engines each worth over $4,000 were also donated to ten area schools.  The engines will be utilized in the Auto Technologies programs within each school to help ensure students continue to get exposure to the latest vehicle technologies. Schools receiving engines were: H.B. Ward Technical Center (Riverhead), Wilson Tech (Dix Hills & Northport), Joseph Barry Tech (Westbury), Gerald R. Claps Career and Technical Center (Levittown) and Eastern Long Island Academy (Oakdale), and Alfred E. Smith (Bronx).

The Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association represents nearly 400 franchised automobile dealerships in the metro New York area that collectively generate billions in economic impact and support nearly 60,000 jobs.  The Association represents new car dealers and works to help and inform consumers about the purchasing and servicing options available to them. It also promotes on-going education and training and creates job opportunities for young people interested in pursuing careers in the automotive business.