| Naturally, when you are researching auto mechanic | | | | ASE certifications are an important part of the |
| programs, one of your main concerns is cost. To | | | | automotive industry, as they demonstrate to |
| many people, the tuition charged by auto tech | | | | employers and customers alike that a mechanic has |
| schools seems exorbitant when compared with the | | | | mastered his or her areas of certification; as such, |
| less expensive programs offered at community | | | | any good automotive education program will train and |
| colleges. However, as a school that specializes in one | | | | test students in the areas of ASE certification. |
| area of instruction, an automotive school offers | | | | Besides factors that are directly related to the quality |
| many benefits over a low budget community college | | | | of a student's education, such as high quality |
| program. | | | | equipment, teachers, and educational programs, as |
| For instance, most auto tech schools offer better | | | | private institutions auto tech schools can also offer |
| equipment than community colleges. The reason for | | | | superior student services, such as job placement |
| this is that community colleges depend on the | | | | services. Job placement services in particular are very |
| government for their funding, and as a result are | | | | important, as the primary reason for pursuing an |
| constantly struggling to pay their teachers, let alone | | | | education is to become more qualified for a specific |
| stay up to date on equipment for their students. On | | | | job or career. Auto tech schools tend to have an |
| the other hand, the tuition you pay at an automotive | | | | office dedicated to helping graduates find jobs, and |
| school ensures that the school can provide and | | | | usually have a good reputation with local employers. |
| maintain state of the art equipment for its students. | | | | Additionally, many auto tech schools have long term |
| Another advantage of the degree programs offered | | | | relationships with local business, meaning that many |
| by auto tech schools is superior teachers. Under | | | | of these businesses go directly to the school when |
| funding at community colleges also results in | | | | they are in need of interns or fulltime mechanics. All |
| underpaid teachers, which usually means that the | | | | of these factors help the graduates of an auto tech |
| best and most knowledgeable teachers won't settle | | | | school find jobs more easily than those who |
| for a job at a community college. Also, since an | | | | attended a community college. |
| automotive school specializes in their field, rather than | | | | Saving yourself money by attending a community |
| offering classes simply as an alternative for | | | | college program may seem like a wise decision, but in |
| non-traditional or non-academic students, they tend | | | | the long run it may have a detrimental impact on |
| to look for teachers who are better qualified to | | | | your career path. Factors such as the curriculum, |
| teach their subject. | | | | teachers, and equipment dictate how much you learn |
| The curriculum offered by an automotive school is | | | | and how well you learn it, while support services for |
| also generally higher quality than those offered by | | | | students, such as job placement assistance, help you |
| community colleges. Again, this has to do with the | | | | translate your education into a career. The extra |
| fact that auto tech schools specialize in one field. As | | | | money it costs to enroll in a degree program at an |
| a result, a school that focuses on automotive training | | | | auto tech school may be the difference between a |
| will be able to offer a choice of several different | | | | quality education and mediocre training, a career in |
| degree programs, including programs for earning | | | | the fast track or just a job. |
| Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certifications. | | | | |