In this episode of DriveTime, Dave Johnson, president and CEO of ASE, discusses certification program changes. ASE is restructuring its certifications to keep pace with new vehicle systems and technologies.
The updates focus on aligning with industry trends, especially in electric vehicles (EVs) and ADAS categories.
Spotlight on ADAS L4 Certification
The ADAS L4 certification, for example, “covers from soup to nuts, from diagnostics all the way to repair and in-depth in the systems,” Johnson said.
Johnson believes many overlook windshield replacements, which are among the most common ADAS-related repairs. These repairs take place daily and must be recalibrated correctly or the ADAS will not function properly.
Collision and Mechanical Repair Are Converging
“This melding of collision and mechanical repairs as we used to traditionally think of it, there’s this massive gray area now because of all the sensors on the vehicle that are located in the body, [and] how that affects the rest of the operation of the vehicle.”
Tackling the Technician Shortage
Johnson also explains ASE’s role in addressing the ongoing technician shortage through the ASE Education Foundation.
“The way that you address that is, number one, taking care of the people you already have in your shop. What is my culture? It’s not about the money necessarily. It’s about what is my culture and am I retaining the good people that I have. And then it’s about growing your own,” Johnson said.
Investing in Education and the Future Workforce
Johnson says this approach is difficult to accept because people want a fast, simple fix.
“So, if you’re going to grow your own, that means you’ve got to get involved at the school level. And so this is where the Education Foundation comes in for us and it’s integral to what we do because our goal is to develop more ASE-certified professionals that will serve the industry. And, we want the consumer to care about that. Of course we want the shop owners and technicians to care about that, and to deliver that, you need educators. ASE wants to help develop that pipeline. It’s good for everybody.”
To hear more about Johnson’s initiatives at ASE, be sure to watch the video above.
Episode Overview:
• Johnson’s professional background, and what brought him to ASE after a long career at the Ford Motor Company (1:25)
• How ASE is adapting its certification programs to keep pace with technological advancements in vehicle systems (4:53)
• The role ASE plays in addressing the ongoing technician shortage through the ASE Education Foundation (9:03)
• The value of ASE certifications in growing a shop’s business, specifically as it relates to attracting customers and ensuring quality repairs (15:18)
• The work ASE does with industry partners to align training standards with real-world shop needs (23:14)
• Lightning Round (29:21).
