Earning the title of Automotive Service Excellence World Class Technician is no small accomplishment. To be recognized as World Class, these individuals have obtained ASE certification in 22 specialty areas: A1-A8 (automotive), T1-T8 (medium/heavy truck), B2-B5 (collision repair), and L1-L2 (advanced).  

Not only is achieving certification in these areas impressive, but becoming World Class is no small feat. As of 2025, only 2,000 technicians have achieved World Class status. 

In this Q&A, Motor Age sat down with Joe Yancey — an ASE World Class technician at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet in Naples, Florida — to learn more about his journey in the automotive industry and how gaining World Class status has helped advance his career. 

Motor Age: Please introduce yourself and tell us about your experience in the automotive industry.  

Yancey: Throughout his career, he has worked on everything from light-duty passenger vehicles to semi-trucks, agricultural equipment, heavy machinery, and today's hybrid and electric vehicles.

 His commitment to mastering the trade has earned him some of the industry's highest honors, including ASE Master Automobile Technician in 2018, General Motors World Class Technician status in 2022, ASE World Class Technician status in 2024 at just 30 years old, and induction into the ASE President's Club in 2025.

Motor Age: What's the most memorable repair you've ever completed?   

Yancey: Some of my most memorable repairs have been complex drivability and electrical diagnostics. Being able to diagnose a drivability concern without unnecessary teardown is something that comes with experience.

The same goes for electrical diagnostics, especially tracking down shorts in wiring harnesses or confirming intermittent module failures. As vehicles become more advanced, terminals continue to get smaller, making them more susceptible to fretting corrosion and terminal tension issues.

After working on GM vehicles for so many years, you begin to recognize patterns. Sometimes all it takes is seeing the right DTC or hearing a customer's concern to trigger the memory of a repair you performed years ago. 

Once you understand how vehicle systems communicate, how data circuits operate, and how to interpret scan tool data, diagnosing even the most complex electrical problems becomes much more manageable.

Motor Age: Tell us one thing about you that we can't guess from your certifications.  

Yancey: Over the years, I have developed a passion for solving some of the industry's most challenging drivability and electrical diagnostic concerns. 

Motor Age: What automotive technology trend are you most excited about? Most concerned about?  

Yancey: One technology trend that concerns me is the development of systems designed to evaluate whether a driver is impaired or capable of operating the vehicle before it can be driven.

While the goal is to improve safety, I think there are too many variables for the technology to make the right decision every time. In many ways, it's moving toward the equivalent of a built-in DUI ignition interlock system that determines whether someone can drive.

As technicians, we've all seen how sensor issues, environmental conditions, and software faults can affect a system's performance. At the same time, with all the new autonomous and driver-assistance systems being introduced, technicians need to continue learning and stay on top of the technology as it evolves.

Motor Age: How has ASE certification helped advance your career?  

Yancey: I know plenty of people who think ASE certifications don't matter, and I also know countless mechanics without them who are outstanding technicians.

Certifications don't automatically make someone a great mechanic, but being a great mechanic will, in turn, make ASE certifications much easier to obtain. My certifications got me hired without hesitation everywhere I've wanted to work. Once you're in the door, your skill, work ethic, and ability to perform are what keep you there