In all of his time as an automotive professor in SUNY Morrisville’s automotive technology Ford ASSET program, professor Dan Akers saw his largest freshmen class this year.
Known for intensive labs, top-notch facilities and capstone internships, it’s one of the reasons why the two-year program in New York is a popular choice for automotive students who want to lock in a career even before they graduate.
The popularity was recognized by Ford Motor Company, which donated a car to SUNY Morrisville’s program for being among the 15 ASSET (Automotive Student Service Educational Training) programs with the greatest number of enrollments in this year’s classes.
The 2024 Mustang GT, the 12th to augment the program’s impressive fleet, is for keeps.
“It is an honor to receive this,” said Akers, a SUNY Morrisville auto alumnus and director of the college’s Ford ASSET program, one of 41 ASSET locations throughout the U.S.
Damaged by flooding and unable to be sold, the 2024 Mustang is drivable with all functions to train future auto technicians.
As advancements usher in a new era of transportation, they also require a higher level of expertise from those who maintain and repair them. The car is loaded with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) safety features, allowing students to address the challenges of new technologies as they train to be the next generation of skilled technicians.
“This vehicle allows us to not just say it, but also prove that our students are working on the latest and greatest in technology,” Akers said.
Donations like these keep students on the cutting edge, one of the reasons Akers attributes to the program’s high numbers. Add hands-on labs, networking with BOCES and other technology programs, skilled faculty and advanced automotive facilities, all which put students in the driver’s seat in the industry.
“Internships are huge,” Akers added.
Through the Ford ASSET program, students gain on-the-job training at a sponsoring Ford or Lincoln dealership while earning an associate’s degree in automotive technology and multiple Ford certifications, which are recognized by dealerships across the country.
Along with four semesters of on-campus study, they work at a dealership during holiday breaks and summers throughout their two years in the program.
“Ninety-eight percent of students have a job on or before graduation, many in their sponsoring dealerships, with the other 2% transferring into one of the college’s two automotive bachelor’s degree programs,” Akers said. The college offers bachelor’s degrees in automotive technology and automotive management.
Ford’s 2024 goal is to continue to grow its service technician numbers. Programs such as ASSET are crucial in reaching this goal and building a technician pipeline for Ford and Lincoln dealerships.
“Every dealership has a shortage,” said Nate Miller, instructional support associate. “They are calling us asking for students.”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects more than 67,000 job openings annually across the U.S. for automotive technicians between 2022 and 2032.
For Ford ASSET students like Ty Paddleford, of Riverhead, NY, having industry-ready skills is among the reasons why SUNY Morrisville was his top choice for colleges.
“I was already working at a Ford dealership right out of high school and I knew this program would give me all of the certifications,” he said. “It definitely gives me a lot of comfort knowing there will always be a job for me.”
Paddleford praised labs and working on the latest technologies, a driving force for many. Students spend an hour in class and three hours in lab every day.
“This (Mustang) car is the newest of the new technology,” he said. “Everything we learn in the classroom about its features, we apply hands-on in lab.”
Four more new vehicles coming from Ford Motor Company within the next few weeks add testament to how the program is keeping pace with new technology and trends.
In addition to the applied learning, Ford ASSET student Gauge Parker, of Elbridge, NY, lauded professors who are up to speed with the ever-changing auto industry.
“They do a great job keeping us engaged and when you ask a question, they give us a detailed answer,” Parker said. “They really put time into teaching us.”
Facilities round out students’ experiences. All of the college’s automotive programs offer students hands-on learning in the most technically advanced facilities in the industry, where they are taught by faculty who are experts in the field and ASE-certified in their respective teaching areas.
Ford’s donations provide students with experience working on the most updated vehicles in auto repair, an industry that has gone from basic mechanics to high-tech, requiring a high level of expertise in mathematics, diagnostics, hydraulics, electronics and strong analytical skills. In addition to vehicles, Ford and other dealerships provide the college’s auto programs with valuable tools to teach.
“We are grateful to Ford for supplying us with the vehicles, tools and equipment so our students can learn on the most modern systems,” Akers said.
Earlier this year, the college received a car after its Mopar Career Automotive Program (MCAP) students were crowned champions in the first-ever Mopar® Career Automotive Program (CAP) Bracket Challenge, a competition that featured 16 schools across the country.
The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, one of only 3,300 made, is on loan to the college for a year. It is being used by auto students for various training and on the college’s dynamometer, which measures torque and power.
