Nation's Best Automotive Technology Students Compete For Over $3 Million in Scholarships and Prizes
24 April 2000
National Automotive Technology Competition Finals to Be Held at This Year's New York International Automobile Show NEW YORK, April 24 The best automotive education students from around the country will descend on Manhattan, Wednesday, April 26 to compete for more than $3 million in scholarships and prizes at the National Automotive Technology Competition finals. The high school seniors, who all study automotive service technology, will compete against one another for various prizes including full scholarships, new cars, and various other tools and prizes to help jump start a successful career in the high-paying field of automotive technology. The annual Competition, which is organized by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association (GNYADA), holds regional contests around the country with the finals culminating each year at the New York International Automobile Show. This year's eighth annual competition will be held on Wednesday, April 26, 2000 at the Javits Center in New York City. "Today's cars and trucks have become so sophisticated that maintaining and repairing them requires the brightest minds in both engineering and computer science. No longer can vehicle owners just lift the hood and tinker around to solve a problem. It takes well-trained, highly-skilled technicians using advanced diagnostic tools and computers," said Steve Shapiro, Ed.D., GNYADA Director of Education and Training. "The National Automotive Technology Competition is designed to reward the best of a new generation of automotive technicians and encourage future generations to choose the automotive industry as a meaningful and worthwhile career path," he continued. The competition takes place in two stages. First, each team is assigned a new car that is rigged to malfunction in a number of ways. The student teams must then diagnose the problem and correct it within the allotted time. Each "bug" correctly diagnosed and repaired is worth a number of points, depending on the level of difficulty. Second, the student's theoretical knowledge is tested through a series of challenging written tests specially prepared by Snap-On, Hunter Engineering, Fluke and the EPA. Sponsored by many of the biggest names in the automotive industry, GNYADA's National Automotive Technology Competition is a clear demonstration of the industry's strong commitment to excellence in automotive education. The Competition is endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.