ASE's three-step process to get involved with Adpot-a-School program

The ASE Education Foundation is asserting that it's as easy as 1-2-3 for businesses to benefit from adopting a local school as part of its new Adopt-A-School program, 

The three steps to adopt a school include:

1. Connect with a school: Find ASE-accredited automobile, collision, and truck programs at aseeducationfoundation.org/find-a-program. Each listing includes contact information for the school so that you can reach out to the program’s instructor and schedule a meeting. Be ready to discuss how your business can help the programs, students, and industry by your involvement and review your own goals and what you could gain from the program as well.
2. Get involved: There are many ways to get involved. For example, by joining the school’s advisory board, you can help ensure that students graduate with the knowledge and skills that employers need. Committees typically meet twice a year to review training programs and provide guidance and feedback. Schools also appreciate those who fund scholarships and make donations in the form of supplies, t-shirts, parts, tools, equipment, or even entire vehicles. By getting started participating in program activities, you can grow your involvement over time.
3. Fill the pipeline: Because the transportation industry has a shortage of qualified service professionals, your business will not only be helping the community and the industry, but your business will benefit from being able to meet, train, and hire future employees right from the start.

“Businesses, students, and schools all benefit from school-work partnerships. That’s why we developed the Adopt-A-School program with online resources to make it easy and seamless for them to collaborate,” said Mike Coley, president, ASE Education Foundation. “The goal of the Adopt-A-School program is to give businesses the tools to implement successful work-based learning programs so they can identify and train the next generation of skilled service professionals. And because solving the technician shortage is so critical, ASE is providing this toolkit to employers and schools for free.”

Fleet Maintenance recently investigated the the current state of technician training, and Pitt Ohio shared its own experiences bringing high school students into the shop.

“It’s been wonderful—18-year-olds coming in, working in the shop part of the time and going to school the rest of the time,” said Taki Darakos, Pitt Ohio's VP of maintenance and fleet services. "It’s also been great for our seasoned techs because there’s so much excitement when these young kids are showing energy and enthusiasm and wanting to grow and learn."

To learn more about the ASE Education Foundation Adopt-A-School program and how to get started, visit ASEeducationFoundation.org/adoptaschool.