Santa Fe Community College's auto repair program receives accreditation

A new accreditation in Santa Fe Community College’s automotive technologies program may help students like Victor get the education and experience they need to jump-start their careers.

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence’s accreditation, which the college earned this month, is intended to verify students’ skills are consistent with industry standards, said Julia Furry, the college’s director of automotive technologies.

“We always knew we were providing a great education for our students. Now, we got the stamp of, ‘Yes, you are,’ and that was very important for us,” Furry said.

The first classes in the automotive technology program were taught in fall 2015, Furry said, and the college secured funding to build a 17,000-square-foot, $7 million center on the east side of campus in 2018.

Classrooms designed to teach students about a different component of a vehicle branch off from a central garage, where cars, forklifts and mowers await repairs. Students are encouraged to bring in their own cars to work on, Furry said.

The program reaches beyond the classroom, instructor Allen Mirabal said. As students work toward one of seven certificates or an associate degree, they also participate in a paid internship program, working at local dealerships and auto shops. Mirabal said nearly all of the internships have resulted in students being hired as full-time employees.

In short, he said: “We can make you employable in three semesters.”

From its cavernous garage space to its internship opportunities, the program is designed to provide students with an honest understanding of what life would look like in the automotive industry, Furry said.

The new accreditation is part of that process.

After a few years of experience and passing an exam, students can receive an Automotive Service Excellence certification, demonstrating their skill in maintaining vehicles. The college’s accreditation allows students access to study materials to obtain the certification, Furry said.

Experienced workers who attended an accredited training program can build a solid career, a lesson Furry said she hopes to instill in her students.

“The one thing that we’re trying to get through with our students: The certificates are great; the associate’s degree is great; sitting for your ASE [exams] are phenomenal,” Furry said. “These documents, even though students don’t see value in them, are extremely valuable to go to the employer and say, ‘Look at me, I have this education. I can do this job.’ ”

Local car dealers echoed the value of the accreditation.

The industry is in desperate need of automotive technicians, and the Automotive Service Excellence accreditation will ensure students are ready to fill those vacancies, Zach Brandt, a managing partner of Capitol Ford and vice chairman of the college’s Automotive Technology Advisory Committee, said in a statement.

“The [Automotive Service Excellence] accreditation is a big achievement for the automotive program,” said Ted Nime, operations director at Honda and Subaru of Santa Fe and another advisory committee member. “As an employer, I know this is something that we need — allowing students to take this career path with an educator right here in our own town.”