Icahn Automotive, an Icahn Enterprises L.P. company, which owns and operates repair and maintenance providers Pep Boys, AAMCO, and Precision Tune Auto Care, recently celebrated the opening of a rebranded technical training facility at Alfred State College of Technology (Alfred State), a State University of New York (SUNY) and traditional residential college of technology, with refreshing and inspiring wall graphics featuring messages such as “Find out how far you can go,” “Find your own path,” “Find the tools you need,” and “Find your path.”
“Alfred State graduates are in a unique position because they graduate with the technical skills to perform automotive service, plus the business acumen that’s needed to manage a shop,” said Brian Kaner, CEO-Service, Icahn Automotive. “As a national service network that can both put students to work part-time and put them on the path of owning their own franchise someday, we’re excited about the possibilities for Alfred State students.”
As one of the largest service network operators in North America, Icahn Automotive offers a broad range of opportunities and career paths. Technicians can start by providing basic maintenance and move on to more complex repairs, or progress to running a company-owned store, owning and operating a franchised business, or serving in a corporate leadership role. Once a technician joins an Icahn Automotive business, they can take advantage of benefits such as an apprenticeship program, company-sponsored certifications, and more.
“Our partners enable us to provide opportunities to the students that might otherwise not be possible,” said Eric Wilmot, chair, automotive trades department, Alfred State College. “The updated technical facility has given our students a better environment in which to apply what they’re learning, and we’re looking forward to working closely with the team at Icahn Automotive to provide the students with jobs when they graduate. The automotive program relies on industry support to meet our technical and equipment needs, and our relationship with Icahn is a perfect example of how education and industry can work together for mutual benefit.”
Alfred State’s automotive technology program is NATEF Master Certified and draws students from across the Northeast. Graduates take advantage of Alfred State’s reputation by accepting technician positions across the country. The investment at Alfred State is a critical part of the company’s larger, national “Race to 2026” technician recruitment initiative, which has invested in and supported promising future automotive technicians through scholarship, partnerships with schools, and continuing education opportunities, in an effort to fill the projected automotive technician gap. Throughout the course of the initiative in 2019, Icahn Automotive has made investments in dozens of technical training schools across the nation and awarded $50,000 in scholarships to students studying at automotive trade schools.
