PRESQUE ISLE — The automotive collision repair program at Northern Maine Community College has received the highest level of accreditation attainable for programs of its type. The National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation recognized the program with its master accreditation.
While the auto repair program has been accredited for some years, it earned the master level for the first time by adding a requirement in blueprinting and estimating.
“The accreditation of our program is important to NMCC because it evaluates us against standards established by the industry,” said NMCC President Timothy Crowley. “The accreditation procedure is a rigorous examination of our program, and the results send an important message about the quality of our training to current and future students, and employers looking for excellent graduates.”
The eight-month-long procedure began with evaluation by a local advisory board; that evaluation was added to the accreditation application, followed by an on-site visit by an independent NATEF evaluator.
“Our instructor Bob Collins has done an exceptional job keeping the program up to date and meeting the standards of a master-level accredited program,” said Trade and Technical Occupations Chair Pam Buck. “Bob’s students continue to be highly sought after by employers.”
Students in this two-year associate degree program sit for the Automotive Service Excellence student certification exams. This spring, all class members passed all four certification tests.
NATEF’s mission is to improve the quality of automotive technician training programs nationwide at secondary and post-secondary schools. Accreditation brings with it program credibility, prestige, recognition and overall program improvement. According to NATEF, “The explosion in automotive technology makes NM’s high quality Automotive Collision Repair program more valuable than ever.”
