Program Description

This program is a cooperative program between Union County Vocational-Technical School and Union County College. All courses are taught by Union County College faculty. The AUT professors are ASE certified. The AUT courses will be offered only on the Scotch Plains campus of Union County College at the state-of-the-art automotive facility of the Vocational-Technical School.

The Automotive Technology Program is a competency-based course of study designed to train and prepare the serious student in eight automotive areas: A/C & Heating, Brakes, Steering & Suspension, Electrical & Electronic Repair, Engine Performance, Engine Repair, Manual Drive Trains, and Automatic Transmissions. Eligible Auto Technology students may participate in work activities such as internships, mentoring, apprenticeships and Cooperative Industrial Education.

Upon successful completion of all program requirements, graduates will be able to:

• Demonstrate theoretical and practical competency in each of the ASE areas covered within the Automotive Technology Curriculum;
• Use automotive computer software applications to diagnose automotive problems and to generate technical service bulletins and procedures for repair of automotive problems;
• Perform laboratory procedures and assess the validity of experimental/ diagnostic data;
• Employ critical thinking to solve automotive problems and apply automotive repair methods to satisfy business and industry standards;
• Express and interpret both technical and non-technical concepts orally and in written and electronic formats;
• Demonstrate information literacy through familiarity and the effective use of technical literature in the areas of automotive maintenance and repair.

After Union County College

Upon graduating the student will be eligible to take ASE certification exams. Union County Vocational School is an ASE certified testing center. Graduates are qualified to work in all automotive service facilities. Employment opportunities include dealerships, independent & specialty shops, chain stores, municipalities, fleet and corporate facilities as well as self employment. This AAS degree may not be transferable to a four-year institution, but many of the non-technology courses may transfer.

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