Phase 1 · Opens January 2028
Automotive
From a bare shop floor to master technician.
Full-service automotive technology — diagnose, repair, and rebuild the modern vehicle, learned the only way it sticks: with real tools, on real vehicles, under people who do the work.
What this program produces
A graduate who can walk into any shop — independent, dealership, fleet, or their own — and be trusted with a customer's vehicle. Not a parts-changer: a diagnostician and a craftsman who reads the system, finds the root cause, repairs it right the first time, and stands behind it.
The program map
A modular path to master level
~18–24 months full-time to master; the core alone is ~9–12 months.
| Phase | Focus | Proposed hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations | Safety, tools, measuring, fasteners, fluids, service info, maintenance | ~140 |
| Core systems | Engine repair, brakes, steering/suspension, electrical, HVAC | ~700 |
| Powertrain & driveline | Engine performance, automatic & manual transmissions, axles | ~360 |
| Body & appearance | Collision (non-structural & structural), refinishing, glass, trim | ~320 |
| Modern & advanced | EV/hybrid high-voltage, ADAS, advanced diagnostics capstone | ~200 |
| The business | Service advising, estimating, shop operations & ownership | ~80 |
| Total | ~1,800 h master track |
Proposed hours, cohort size, and calendar are draft, pending sign-off.
What you'll master
The whole trade, aspect by aspect.
Foundations
Work safely, use tools and precise measurement, read service information, and perform a complete service and honest inspection to dealership standard — your first employable skill.
Engine & powertrain
Diagnose and repair engines and driveability with scan tool and scope, plus automatic and manual transmissions and driveline.
Chassis
Complete brake service and ABS diagnosis (safety-critical), plus steering, suspension, wheel alignment, tires and TPMS.
Electrical & climate
Read any wiring diagram; find opens, shorts and parasitic draws with meter and scope; service charging and starting; handle A/C legally. The make-or-break skill of the modern trade.
Body & appearance
Collision repair (non-structural and structural), refinishing and paint, glass, interior and trim. May run as a specialization.
Modern & advanced
EV/hybrid high-voltage safety and service, ADAS calibration, and an advanced multi-system diagnostics capstone.
The business
Service advising and estimating, and running your own shop or mobile service — the “Create” step.
Credentials you build toward
- The Skill Center Automotive Master certificate — our competency record, signed off task by task.
- ASE alignment — every module maps to an ASE area (A1–A8, plus collision B-series). ⬜ confirm ASE testing access in-region.
- EPA Section 609 refrigerant handling, or the local equivalent, for A/C work. ⬜ confirm local equivalent.
How it's taught
- Learn by doing — professional tools, real problems.
- Competency-based, not seat-time: a task is done when you can do it correctly, safely, unsupervised, to spec.
- Real work early — you're on the live bay under a master well before you graduate.
- Taught by master practitioners and Skill Missionaries who have done the work at a high level.