nonpartisan issue. Preparing young people for the future benefits everyone, and Texas needs more skilled technicians on the road.” “People take technicians for granted, but daily life depends on them to obtain groceries, medical supplies, for safe transportation, everything,” said C. Brent Franks, president of NTXAD. “You don’t need a four-year degree and student debt if you don’t have a passion for that route. If we had 1,000 certified technicians today, we could place them within a week. The technology in cars is so advanced that demand for skilled workers has never been higher.” A WORKFORCE PIPELINE SIX YEARS STRONG In the past two years, NTXAD has helped 139 former participants secure technician positions at North Texas dealerships, validating the competition’s role as one of the region’s most effective workforce-development initiatives. Students also participated in a career fair featuring OEMs, dealerships, training programs and hands-on demonstrations. Industry partners represented dozens of major brands, including Chevrolet, Ford, Subaru, Buick, GMC, Audi, Acura, BMW, Hyundai, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen, along with support from Capital One, Tekion, Ally Financial, Ikon Technologies and the Carroll Shelby Foundation. All winning teams received professional-grade Snap-On tools, scholarships to NTXAD’s Fast Track Automotive Technician Training Program and recognition at a luncheon attended by North Texas auto dealers and industry leaders from across the country. DEALERS’ CHOICE 30
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