| It can be a challenge to land a prime spot on a race | | | | women at automotive dealerships. It was founded in |
| car pit crew. Yet vehicle dealerships across the | | | | 1995 by former GM Chairman Jack Smith as a way |
| country are scrambling to find qualified automotive | | | | to address the growing need for technicians. |
| technicians for their own "pit crews"-even with | | | | Spreading The Word |
| salaries of $30,000 to $70,000 or more, depending on | | | | "There are thousands of NASCAR fans-and |
| the market and the technician's level of training. | | | | others-who are ideal candidates for a career as an |
| The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that | | | | automotive technician," said Larry Cummings, CEO of |
| the auto industry will need 35,000 new technicians | | | | AYES. "The Expertise Challenge is a fun and engaging |
| every year through 2010. | | | | way to help spread the word about these great |
| Lucrative But Overlooked Careers | | | | career opportunities." |
| With that in mind, an unusual contest is getting into | | | | Students enrolled in GM ASEP two-year programs |
| gear with the purpose of increasing awareness about | | | | earn while they learn, rotating their time between |
| this lucrative and rewarding yet often-overlooked | | | | classes and interning at GM dealerships and other GM |
| career, and support training opportunities for future | | | | service centers. There are 66 GM ASEP participating |
| technicians. It's called the No. 29 Goodwrench | | | | schools in 38 U.S. states, 15 in Canada and one in the |
| Expertise Challenge. And it is a challenge. "Historically, | | | | People's Republic of China. Successful students |
| being an automotive technician has been depicted as | | | | graduate with an associate's degree, and either are |
| a dirty, dead-end kind of job," said Peter Lord, | | | | ready for or have passed their National Institute for |
| executive director, GM Service Operations. "That old | | | | Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification |
| stereotype could not be further from the truth. | | | | test. More than 2,000 students are currently enrolled |
| Today's cars and trucks are very sophisticated-the | | | | in the program, and there are more than 14,000 |
| computer technology in them alone, for example, is | | | | graduates. |
| nearly 1,000 times more powerful than what took | | | | If Harvick and the team meet the Expertise |
| the Apollo mission to the moon." | | | | Challenge by winning two of the 12 select races, GM |
| "Dealerships need trained, qualified technicians | | | | Goodwrench will award 29 Grand Prizes, which |
| because they know that satisfaction with vehicle | | | | consist of an all-new 2007 Chevy Avalanche, a |
| service and repair work is closely tied to how | | | | $1,000 GM vehicle maintenance certificate and a trunk |
| customers view their vehicles and the dealership." | | | | full of Reese's products. |
| The Challenge benefits automotive technician training | | | | Program Rules Available |
| like this: If driver Kevin Harvick's No. 29 car wins two | | | | If only one race is won during the promotion, two |
| out of 12 selected NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series | | | | lucky winners will be awarded an all-new 2007 Chevy |
| races beginning May 28 with the Coca-Cola 600, GM | | | | Avalanche, a $1,000 GM vehicle maintenance |
| Goodwrench will set up a $200,000 scholarship fund | | | | certificate, and a trunk full of Reese's products. They |
| to encourage Automotive Youth Educational Systems | | | | will also donate $25,000 to the GM Goodwrench |
| (AYES) high school students to continue their | | | | Scholarship Fund. If no races are won during the |
| automotive technical education by attending GM | | | | promotion, the promotion will still give away an |
| Automotive Service Educational Program (ASEP) | | | | all-new 2007 Chevy Avalanche, a $1,000 GM vehicle |
| colleges. AYES is a nonprofit business and education | | | | maintenance certificate, and a trunk full of Reese's |
| partnership that creates automotive technology | | | | products to one lucky winner, and provide a $25,000 |
| career opportunities for promising young men and | | | | donation to the GM Goodwrench Scholarship fund. |