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������Ƶ Community College Automotive Technology All Brand students work in the automotive labs, Ashland, MA, April 2024 (Photo/������Ƶ Community College)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: 
Liz Cooper 
ecooper@������Ƶ.edu

ASHLAND, Mass. (October 3, 2025) – ������Ƶ Community College’s Automotive Technology All Brand Program has been chosen as one of just four programs nationwide to pilot a new skills-based certification and accreditation initiative with the . This innovative program is designed to better align curriculum and training with the needs of today’s rapidly evolving automotive industry and to prepare students with the real-world skills employers are seeking.

Through this pilot, ������Ƶ’s Automotive Technology All Brand program will begin embedding performance-based, industry-recognized skills assessments directly into its automotive curriculum. These assessments are tied to AVTECC certifications, which validate hands-on expertise across all areas of automotive service, with a strong emphasis on emerging technologies such as electric vehicle systems, advancing diagnostics, and drive assistance systems.

“We are honored to be selected for this innovative pilot program, in recognition of ������Ƶ's continued commitment to delivering an exceptional, skills-based education in the fast-moving automotive technology space,” said ������Ƶ Dean of Automotive Technology David Protano. "By participating, ������Ƶ is shaping the future of automotive technician training, providing the regional market with needed well-trained and skilled technicians, while also giving our students the certifications and experience that make them stand out to employers.”

As part of initiative, ������Ƶ Automotive Technology All Brand faculty will participate in the Automotive Instructors Institute, a professional development program that equips educators with tools to teach advanced technologies and competency-based instruction. This training will help ensure instructors are prepared to evaluate students on nationally validated skills and keep pace with demands of fast-changing industry.

“Our goal is to build elite programs that produce exceptional technicians,” said President and CEO of AVTECC David Macholz. “Our accreditation model goes deeper than minimum standards and compliance. It’s about building programs that result in meaningful outcomes for students and the local industry these institutions serve.”

The results of the pilot will help guide the national rollout of AVTECC’s new accreditation framework, which evaluates automotive programs on student achievement, employer engagement, and instructional quality. By aligning programs with real workforce needs, the initiative is designed to give students a competitive edge in the job market while providing employers with highly skilled technicians ready to contribute on day one.

������Ƶ Auto Technology is the premier automotive training center in the New England region offering programs that are sponsored by four major automotive brands: BMW, Toyota/Lexus, General Motors, and JEEP/Chrysler/Dodge/Ram, providing students with in-depth, product-specific automotive technology programs. Complimenting the major brand programs, ������Ƶ recently launched a non-manufacture specific All Brand General Studies program, which provides students with a comprehensive education and hands-on training on multiple types of makes and models of vehicles. Students are trained on the newest cars, using state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment. The program has a hands-on, paid co-op component, enabling students to learn in a professional setting while earning money and college credit simultaneously. ������Ƶ’s automotive program has a 99% placement rate of graduates into full-time jobs by graduation.

������Ƶ Community College is the most affordable higher education option in MetroWest Boston and is free to most Massachusetts residents without a bachelor’s degree. With more than 70 associate degree and certificate programs, along with comprehensive workforce and educational training, ������Ƶ provides a wide range of courses with flexible day, evening, and weekend classes in Wellesley, Framingham, the Automotive Technology Center in Ashland, and online, in high-demand fields including health and life sciences, computer science, engineering, cybersecurity, business, and the humanities. ������Ƶ students receive unparalleled value, with free one-on-one academic and social support services, compassionate and experienced faculty, and stackable credits that easily transfer to bachelor’s degree programs and that provide hands-on, workforce-ready skills. Health sciences, human services, early childhood education, and many general education programs are offered at the 65,000 square foot, state-of-the-art ������Ƶ Framingham, which has served the community since January 2024. Founded in 1961, ������Ƶ has been accredited by multiple governing bodies and remains dedicated to serving its diverse communities, fostering inclusiveness, and advancing equity for all.