The best first step a student can take toward being an automotive service professional is earning an ASE Entry-Level credential, notes Mike Coley, ASE Education Foundation president. This credential is geared toward high school and college students working through a technical program in automotive, truck, or collision repair and verifies the students' readiness to begin working.
The credential is also beneficial to the students' teachers as it allows them to see their students' growth and gives them the ability to evaluate the training program's effectiveness. Additionally, this gives employers a way to find the best-qualified entry-level candidates.
“Earning ASE Entry-Level certification shows that a student has gained practical knowledge critical to career success,” said Coley. “Earning this credential demonstrates that a student has a strong potential to be a high-performing employee and is a predictable gauge for their future success on ASE professional-level certification tests.”
Students are able to take the test throughout the year. Regardless of their school's ASE-accreditation status, the ASE Entry-Level tests are available to all schools. The tests are designed for students with no hands-on work experience, meaning the tests do not feature diagnostic-based scenarios and instead ask knowledge-based questions. After passing, the certification is good for two years.
To learn more about ASE Entry-Level certifications, schools and employers should contact the ASE Education Foundation and visit www.ASE.com/entry-level.
