In this day and age, students with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) knowledge and experience are sought after by a growing number of employers, but these subjects often are seen as  fit for only top academic students. Meanwhile, automotive technology classes are ignored or seen as less important.

Maybe it’s time to challenge that view. 

Kevin Lawton teaches at Bedford County Technical Center in Everett, Pennsylvania, where he uses Fundamentals of Automotive Technology Online. 

No matter how many bright students, wonderful instructors, and useful resources an automotive classroom has, there’s one thing that can make the learning process more—or less—difficult: curriculum.

Curriculum, which is comprised of the learning objectives, lessons, materials, assignments, and assessments used to teach a course, is the last thing you want to work against your students’ success. In fact, studies show that better curriculum—and textbooks—can improve student achievement.

But how do you know if your current curriculum is the problem?

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” Henry Ford knows something about the importance of continuing to learn. 

Service advisors have a unique role as both the face of an automotive shop and the link between customers and technicians. Therefore, it makes sense that classroom training for service advisors should have a good balance between customer focused skills and automotive knowledge.

Instructors play an important role in providing this kind of targeted training. But aside from starting with a good foundation of knowledge, how can you instill the kinds of skills that help service advisors thrive in the classroom and on the job? 

As the days get shorter and the temperature gets colder, it’s becoming even more important to talk about vehicle system care.

Dane Tom has used CDX since 2001. He teaches at Roy High School in South Roy, Utah, where he uses Fundamentals of Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair Online. 

CDX Learning Systems, a division of Jones & Bartlett Learning, is excited to announce a partnership with Tiqani Management Consultancy FZE, a premier automotive talent development firm. Together, CDX and Tiqani will lead the way in offering innovative educational materials and automotive training on a global scale. 

According to a 2013 report by the Seattle Jobs Initiative (SJI), over 75% of employers believed soft skills were just as important as, if not more important than, technical knowledge.