Students in the Delaware Area Career Center's Automotive Technology program will reap the benefits of a continued community partnership between the career center, Ford Motor Company and Byers Auto Group.
Representatives from Byers Auto Group stopped by DACC on Thursday to drop off a 2023 Lincoln Aviator, which had been donated to the dealership by Ford Motor Company for educational purposes. The unsold vehicle had suffered light flood damage on a product lot -- meaning it was no longer fit to sell, but it was fit to be worked on and learned from in a lab setting, according to Andy Chrzanowski, a technical placement specialist at Ford.
"Ford Motor Company works with our local dealers to support our community schools -- auto tech trade schools as well as high school and post-secondary career tech centers that have automotive programs. Our goal is really to help the dealerships stay engaged with the students and the schools, to help bridge the gap between education and industry. We want to prepare the students the best way we can for becoming technicians in the future at our dealerships," said Chrzanowski, noting that the current auto technician shortage is an industry-wide issue across the U.S., and is not confined to one manufacturer, dealer or region.
Ford Motor Company rewards dealerships and local schools that work collaboratively to prepare students for future careers in the automotive industry. Chrzanowski said Byers Auto Group's long-held partnership with DACC -- and the fruit it has produced -- made selecting the dealership for its donation an easy choice.
"Because of DACC's commitment to using the training, and its commitment to getting students out and into the industry, their numbers are significantly higher in those areas than a lot of other schools," Chrzanowski said. "So as a way to recognize that, when we have opportunities to donate engines or components, or vehicles in this case, we try to reward those schools that are doing well -- that are supporting not just Ford, but the industry."
DACC was one of just seven schools across Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky to receive a donated 2023 Lincoln Aviator following the product lot flood. DACC's track record of providing students with work-based learning opportunities while in high school and preparing students for careers after graduation put it in a position to be selected, Chrzanowski said.
"DACC had several students already out in the field, working or being mentored," Chrzanowski said. "They also had high utilization of manufacturer training."
Byers Auto Group has partnered with DACC for years to provide mentorship and work-based learning opportunities for students. Owner and Vice President George Kauffman said this was simply another opportunity to extend that partnership and deliver more resources to America's future auto technicians.
"We're extremely proud to partner with DACC," Kauffman said, "and the ability to help young people practice in a real-world environment with current, up-to-date tools -- it's something that is vital for them to be able to be successful and start their careers, and to be able to be a part of that is something we're very, very proud of."
Having a 2023 Lincoln Aviator in-house will allow DACC students to work with the latest technology in their lab, Automotive Technology instructor Robert Swonger said. Students will be able to study brakes, steering and suspension like they do on most vehicles, but they'll also be able to study the advanced technology inside the Aviator, preparing them for careers in an ever-evolving industry.
"This is a great opportunity to get a chance to look at the latest -- literally the latest -- technology, and have some exposure to that. Because generally speaking, most of the time, we get cars that are a few years old and we don't get to see the absolute latest," Swonger said. "This is a true blessing."