During the spring, the Midland College Automotive Technology program in Midland, Texas completed a rigorous recertification process in order to continue to be accredited by the National Automotive Technician Education Foundation (NATEF).
MC Automotive/Diesel Technology Program Chair Pete Avalos explained, "NATEF accreditation brings with it program credibility, prestige, recognition and overall program improvement. NATEF accreditation ensures that Midland College's program benefits students as well as future employers. Employers who hire our students will know that MC students have been trained on state-of-the-art equipment by instructors who are NATEF certified. This means that the Permian Basin automotive industry has a pool of highly trained automotive technicians who have received associate degrees and technical certifications from Midland College."
The reaccreditation process involved an extensive self-evaluation performed by program instructors, administrators and the program's advisory committee members. During the evaluation process, equipment and training were compared to national standards, and the results were submitted to NATEF for review. An on-site evaluation program was subsequently conducted by ASE master-certified and trained technicians to ensure that industry requirements are being met. Now that MC has received final approval, the program is accredited for an additional five years.
In the approval notification letter addressed to MC Dean of Applied Technology Curt Pervier, NATEF President Patricia Serratore wrote, "We commend you and your staff for maintaining your program's standards and continuing to meet the industry's requirements. The explosion in automotive technology makes your high-quality automotive training program more valuable than ever."
The Midland College Automotive Technology program is housed at the Midland College Advanced Technology Center located at 3200 W. Cuthbert Ave. MC automotive faculty provide training for MC students seeking associate degrees and technical certifications as well as MISD students enrolled in dual-enrollment automotive technology classes. During the past 10 years, MC's program has doubled in size and has expanded to include collision and repair certification as well as diesel technology training.
