DMC hosts Texas Workforce Commission’s JET grant presentation to seven South Texas schools on Aug. 8 Includes (Video)
Article by Melinda Eddleman On Friday, Aug. 8, Del Mar College (DMC) hosted the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) during a check presentation event recognizing Jobs & Education for Texans (JET) grant recipients to support career and technical education (CTE) training for South Texas high school students. Among the two community colleges and five independent school districts (ISDs) that received oversized checks representing a combined $1,692,417 were Del Mar College, Victoria College and Banquete, Calhoun County, Corpus Christi, George West and San Diego ISDs (read Office of the Texas Governor release). The oversized check awards from the commission were signed and then presented to each school by TWC Commissioner Representing Employers Joe Esparza. DMC received a $313,833 JET grant for its Automotive Applied Technology Program with the Department of Architecture, Aviation and Automotive. The college also partners with four of the five ISDs that received the TWC’s grant to train their students in health care (Banquete, George West and San Diego) and in electronics (Corpus Christi). The JET grant funds DMC received were used to purchase high-tech training equipment to prepare students as technicians for modern vehicle repairs and maintenance in the automotive industry. That equipment includes: - Consulink Cruze 1.4L Engine Trainer includes new GDI and start/stop technology that allows students to perform a basic “road test” and engine diagnostics within the classroom. This trainer also teaches engine diagnostics. - Consulab Fuel Injection & GM Engine Management System is used to teach engine management technologies found in modern day vehicles. - Consulab Ohm’s Law and DC Circuit Trainers (Classroom Set) is a self-contained education learning system designed to assist instructors with teaching basic electrical and electronic theory and Ohm’s Law basics, covering fundamentals using the latest electrical components found in modern vehicles. - Consulab Engine Starting Test Traction, which is a bench used for teaching mechanical engine repair using OEM components that provide students with additional skills in engine diagnosis. - AC System Trainer with H-block is a complete A/C system with unique features designed to enhance the instruction of air conditioning physics. - Double-sided Automotive Lighting Trainer is a totally functional vehicle CAN bus trainer based on a Honda vehicle platform and includes all operational OEM vehicle systems, such as a functional multiplex and CAN Bus system, with a total of 11 system modules. - Consulab Advanced Electronics Moduponent Kit is a versatile, adaptable advanced electrical/electronic training series that allows student to build complex electronic circuits and provides instruction covering the use of multimeter and other testing equipment. The need for skilled automotive technicians and mechanics continues to grow and will exceed 60,000 nationally by 2032 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Texas’ Coastal Bend region shows high demand among employers to fill local positions in part due to a growing population generating increased vehicle registrations, along with a growing number of experienced technicians retiring from the field. DMC’s Automotive Applied Technology Program not only trains college-age students but also currently partners with three ISDs in CTE training––Corpus Christi (Miller High School), Calallen and Gregory-Portland––to fill the area’s employment gap in this field. The collaboration to prepare these future technicians is part of the college’s Dual Enrollment Program through Memorandums of Agreement. Students earn college credits toward the Suspension, Driveline, Brake Specialist Level I Certificate, which are stackable credentials that allow them to proceed with earning the Automotive Applied Technology Program’s Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree. For employers, finding automotive repair and maintenance technicians with the right skill sets is a growing challenge as vehicle complexity increases. The equipment purchased using the JET grant has allowed the college to upgrade its program’s training lab to meet the highest standards and produce well-trained technicians that industry employers seek for repairs and maintenance among today’s vehicles. Recently, the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Education Foundation awarded its nationally recognized Program Training Accreditation to DMC’s Automotive Applied Technology Program. Students who earn their ASE certification are considered prime candidates for hire in the automotive repair industry. The college’s Automotive Applied Technology Program offers Level I and II Certificates in addition to the AAS degree. Curriculum and hands-on lab skills training provide for entry-level employment and prepares students for Automotive Service Technology entry-level ASE certifications. More details about the college’s Automotive Applied Technology Program are available online at www.delmar.edu/degrees/automotive-applied-technology/index.html. View highlights of speakers' remarks below:
