In the classroom, students are usually judged on their individual ability to successfully learn new material. They rely on their own know-how and self-discipline for everything from studying to passing tests.

But with such an intense focus on individual performance, how can students develop the skills needed to work as part of a team?

As an instructor, your goal is to make sure your students are fully prepared for future employment. When it comes to working with today’s vehicles, that includes helping students learn plenty of important, technical skills.

But how well are your students prepared to interact with customers, co-workers, and supervisors?

What do your students need to succeed as skilled technicians?

You might be quick to list a series of technical skills, but what about employability skills?

Employability skills, also known as “job-keeping skills” are overlooked in many programs. However, they can often mean the difference between a student who successfully transitions into new position and one who can’t seem to land or keep a job in the industry.

The second edition of Fundamentals of Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair is here! Are you wondering what new things you can expect from this updated and expanded version? 

Have you checked out your new CDX Online courseware? 

The latest edition of Fundamentals of Medium/Heavy Duty Commercial Vehicle Systems is here!

Wondering what there is to look forward to in the second edition? Not only has it been updated to align with the latest ASE Medium-Heavy Truck Program Standards, the second edition includes six new chapters that reflect the most up-to-date technological innovations in medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses. 

Our brand-new e-learning platform is here! 

Safety.

It’s not the most exciting subject in the automotive classroom, but it’s certainly one of the most important. Even if your students aren’t eagerly awaiting your lesson on how to use eye protection or the importance of inspecting equipment, you know how necessary it is for students to absorb and follow safety guidelines. All it takes is one accident to ruin a person’s day, week, or even their entire life, which means skimping on teaching safety is not an option.

Students hate taking tests and instructors hate grading them. So why should you spend more time than necessary dealing with testing?

Many students (and at least a few instructors) might wish they could skip test-taking altogether, but the truth is that tests can be valuable indicators of a student’s progress and skills. They can also help instructors and students identify gaps in knowledge and pinpoint what still needs to be learned. 

In the first two parts of our strategy-based instruction blog series, we explained the basis of this teaching method and explored how to verify the job skills that students need before entering the workforce.  

Once you’ve determined what skills and behaviors your students need to learn based on what employers need, it’s time to figure out the best way to teach them. This is where both new and experienced instructors encounter a common problem. How do you cover all the material students should learn with limited time and resources?