St. Vrain Valley School District students can now obtain high level automotive certifications after the district was selected as the third high school site in the nation to partner with Toyota.
ToniJo Niccoli, principal at the Career Elevation and Technology Center in Longmont, told the school board on Wednesday that the automotive technology program at the school is one of its most requested. She said there are nearly 300 course requests for this option because of both the high quality instructors and this new partnership with Toyota.
Called the Toyota Technical Education College Support Elite, or TECS Elite, the program makes the center an official training center for Toyota and Lexus technicians. The program offers mechanic certification that complies with the highest standards in the automotive industry, explained auto technology teacher Brian Smallwood.
With these certifications, students have immediate access to higher wage positions. Along with getting technical certification for these vehicles, the program offers a pathway to an associates degree through Toyota T-TEN if the student is interested.
To qualify for the Toyota TECS Elite, a school must show high educational, facility and partnership standards.
“It really took a lot of work to say yes, let’s go get this partnership,” Niccoli said.
The district is working with local Toyota dealerships, which means work experience opportunities for the students as well.
Toyota has provided the district with two current generation vehicles and a large assortment of tools and diagnostic equipment. Along with funding from the state’s Career Development Incentive Program, the Career Elevation and Technology Center has added $130,000 worth of vehicles, tools and equipment that students may not have otherwise been able to access.
Representatives of Toyota also attended the meeting, lauding the partnership with St. Vrain.
“I think ultimately the challenge we’ve had is getting young people interested in the automobile industry,” said Winston Morgan, a field manager for Toyota. “We all drive around, right? We all use our cars but we don’t put the dots together that we actually need people to actually service those cars. I think partnering with you guys is going to lay a foundation to bring more young people into the industry.”
The school board and superintendent spoke highly of the partnership, thanking Toyota and also praising the Career Elevation and Technology Center for its continued successes.
