The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) has recognized the NAPA Autotech XcceleratoR program as a pathway toward significantly reducing the ASE standard work experience requirement. In April, a year-long data-gathering validation period began with the intention of helping ASE determine how best to integrate immersive XcceleratoR training into its certification framework.
The NAPA Autotech XcceleratoR program is powered by Skillmaker, an AI-driven extended reality (XR) workforce development platform created to address the industry's labor shortage. The program aims to reduce technician training time from years to weeks by combining first-person immersive simulations and AI-driven feedback. It will also assist learners on the job with AR-capable smart glasses and real-time AI or live human expert guidance, minimizing downtime and reducing mistakes.
What people are saying
“We believe the NAPA XcceleratoR program has the potential to substantially shorten the time to certification window without compromising the quality of hands-on skills that have always been the core focus of ASE,” said Dave Johnson, president and CEO of ASE. “This new workplace development initiative is the future of skills-based assessment. We are proud to collaborate with NAPA and Skillmaker as they harness new technologies to address the technician shortage.”
“This is more than just a training upgrade, it is a game-changer for the entire automotive service ecosystem,” Matt Crumpton, director, program development NAPA. “Skillmaker’s proven XR approach has already accelerated learning in other sectors, and we are thrilled to bring that power to NAPA’s extensive network of shops and technicians.”
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