Certificate of Achievement - Advanced Diagnosis

This certificate of achievement program will provide high-level theoretical training and advanced diagnostic techniques. It will use advanced diagnostics tools and testing methods to increase technician's efficiency and accuracy. Additionally, it will cover Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen technology to prepare students to work on European automotive technology. Instructor approval must be obtained before enrollment.

Student enrollment in this industry will increase as new market opportunities are created with improved pay and benefits. High-level skilled workers are in an all-time high demand in the area (and nationwide), resulting in the necessity for existing technicians to upgrade their skills and for new technicians to acquire advanced training. Based on the data included in the LMI report (see supporting documents), there is a labor market gap in the Bay region, with 1,562 annual openings for the Automotive Technology occupational cluster and 590 annual (3-year average) awards for an annual undersupply of 972 students. There is also a gap in the East Bay Sub-Region with 542 annual openings and ninety-nine annual (3-year average) awards for an annual undersupply of 443 students.

This certificate of achievement program aims to build on students' skills and provide and provide them with advanced knowledge and high-level, hands-on training applicable to Asian, North American, and European automotive technology. This program will complement the existing automotive program by offering students advanced-level diagnostic theory and practice; it will also cover European technology, an area our program does not currently cover.

Based on all available data, there appears to be an “undersupply” of automotive technology workers compared to the demand for this cluster of occupations in the Bay region and the East Bay sub-region (Alameda and Contra Costa counties). There is a projected annual gap of about 972 students in the Bay region and 443 students in the East Bay Sub-Region. This program will help close this gap.

This program is necessary to provide students with advanced knowledge and high-level hands-on training. Despite being complete and competitive, our program does not offer high-level diagnostics classes; this course will complement our program and existing classes by providing the advanced knowledge students require to succeed in the automotive industry. Besides getting deeper into the diagnostics component of the industry using advanced-level equipment and tools that apply to Asian and North American vehicles, students will acquire valuable knowledge of European vehicles, which our program does not currently offer.

Course	Title	Units	Year/Semester (Y1 or S1)
ATEC 6A	Automotive Electrical and Electronic Fundamentals	4	Y1
ATEC 6B	Automotive Electrical and Electronic Systems	3	Y1
ATEC 8	Automotive Air and Fuel Delivery Systems	4	Y1
ATEC 10	Automotive Advanced Engine Performance	3	Y2
ATEC 94	Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (In Review)	4.5	Y2
ATEC 11	Advanced Diagnosis (In Review)	4	Y2

The proposed program includes five existing courses and one new course to focus on high-level diagnosis theory and experiences for automotive electronic and mechanical systems

No similar programs are offered in Bay Area colleges. 14 community colleges in the Bay Region issuing 575 awards on average annually (last 3 years ending 2019-20) on TOP 0948.00 - Automotive Technology. In the East Bay Sub-Region, five (5) community colleges issued 99 awards on average annually (last 3 years) on this TOP code. One (1) other CTE educational institution in the Bay Region is issuing 15 awards on average annually (last 3 years ending 2019-20) on CIP 47.0604 - Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician. No other CTE educational institution in the East Bay Sub-Region issuing awards on average annually (last 3 years) on this CIP code. No other CTE educational institution is awarding advanced-level diagnosis certificates.