GM Technician Training Encompasses All of the Latest GM Vehicle Systems
“All of the students
who qualify to enter the [GM technician training] at
Centennial College have to be working at a General Motors dealership as well as
be an apprentice in a General Motors dealer,” says Peter Loken, an instructor
at Centennial College’s Automotive Service Technician General Motors of Canada
ASEP (MAP 32), as it is officially known. “It is a co-op program where we end
up spending eight weeks in class then eight weeks at the dealership, hopefully
getting experience in the areas that we have just been trained in.”
This great overview of
the GM technician training offers insight into the application process and one
of the program’s standout features. Let’s take a closer look at both.
First and foremost,
aside from already being employed in the field, applicants must also possess at
minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or
a GED or equivalent. It should be noted that if students are not currently
General Motors employees, they might also be selected through an interview
process. Once they’ve been accepted, they’ll have to obtain an employer and
register as a MAP apprentice with the Apprenticeship Branch of the Ministry of
Training, Colleges and Universities. Acceptance to the GM technician training
is based on successful completion of all entry requirements and space is
limited.
As Peter mentioned, one
of the program highlights is that future General Motors technicians have
the advantage of spending time during their training in-school and with their
employer (32 weeks with each). Specific courses students attend during the
in-school portion of GM technician training include: Motor Vehicle Engine
Systems, Electrical, Electronics & Fuel Systems; Gear Trains, Applied Work
Practices & Procedures; Steering, Suspension & Brakes; and more.
Additionally, while on campus GM technician training students learn all of the latest GM vehicle
systems, with emphasis on diagnosis and repair, following recommended GM
service procedures. A large portion of the program involves vehicle electrical
and electronic systems diagnosis and repair in labs at Ashtonbee Campus, the provinces largest transportation
training centre.
Students may be eligible for employment insurance during the in-class GM
technician training.
During the time students
alternate to sessions with their employer, as Peter mentioned, students apply
what they have learned and obtain new knowledge in order to come back to
Centennial College prepared to master more advanced topics.
Upon graduation, GM
technician technicians receive
up to 21 GM Dealer Technician Training Credits and an Ontario College
Certificate. In the field, they have responsibilities that include: reviewing
work orders; road testing motor vehicles, and testing automotive systems and
components; changing, repairing or replacing parts and components of automotive
systems; testing and changing repaired systems to the required standards;
performing scheduled maintenance service, such as oil changes, lubrications and
tune-ups; advising customers on work performed, general vehicle conditions and
future repair requirement.
