IMSA, ASE Partner to Strengthen Technician Pipeline
Key Highlights
- The partnership aims to create a pipeline of ASE Certified technicians to meet the demands of sophisticated modern vehicles.
- IMSA and ASE are working together to promote technician careers through awareness campaigns and STEM education initiatives.
- The collaboration highlights the importance of advanced training and certification for technicians servicing vehicles at manufacturer dealer networks.
- IMSA's racing events and digital platforms serve as promotional avenues to elevate the visibility of technician careers.
- This initiative aligns industry standards with educational efforts to ensure a skilled workforce for the future of automotive service.
The International Motor Sports Association and the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence announced a multi-faceted partnership aimed at addressing the automotive aftermarket’s technician shortage.
Each manufacturer competing in IMSA operates its own dealer network, and most feature service centers serving millions of vehicle owners annually. The partnership creates a pipeline of ASE Certified technicians ready to work on the sophisticated vehicles customers drive every day.
The collaboration employs a three-pronged effort: expanding awareness of ASE Certification as the trusted benchmark for service professionals, identifying career pathways in the transportation industry, and positioning ASE as a major driver in meeting manufacturer needs.
"ASE is excited to partner with IMSA to highlight the critical role of ASE Certified technicians—the men and women who meet the highest independently verified standards in the industry," said Dave Johnson, president and CEO of ASE. "Every time a driver hands over their keys at a dealership service center, they deserve the confidence of knowing an ASE Certified technician is working on their vehicle. IMSA's commitment to innovation and STEM education aligns perfectly with ASE's mission, and together we are elevating the visibility of technician careers and showing how advanced training is vital to the safe service and repair of today's technically advanced vehicles."
The program aligns ASE and IMSA STEM initiatives. IMSA STEM powered by Gainbridge and Konica Minolta is in its second year, operating at IMSA race events and digitally, shifting focus from advanced degrees to greater advanced training and career technical education pathways.
"Building the next generation of technicians to service the cars on the road is as important as developing the next generation of talented drivers and crew members within the IMSA paddock," said IMSA President John Doonan. "With this new partnership between IMSA and ASE, we're confident that the ASE Certified technicians emerging from this pipeline will be the trusted hands the motoring public relies on at our manufacturer partners' service centers nationwide."
The partnership includes promotional elements, with ASE's alignment with IMSA providing visibility to the 18 manufacturers and IMSA's 10-plus million sports car enthusiast fans, reinforcing the message that ASE Certified technicians are the standard vehicle owners should expect at service centers.