New Nonprofit Seeks to Reinvent Standards in Automotive Training, Certifications

Plans were unveiled at the recent North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT) Conference for the launch of a nonprofit that will provide and develop automotive training and certification, according to a press release.

The International Advanced Vehicle Technology Education and Credentialing Coalition (AVTECC) is the result of doctoral research on automotive technician certification conducted by Dave Macholz.

Macholz is an automotive instructor, doctoral student, and ECMC Foundation Fellow at Old Dominion University, who began researching the topic as a student in the Workforce and Organizational Development Ph.D program at Old Dominion University.

During a keynote given by Macholz at the 2024 NACAT conference, he said the organization’s goal is to innovate strategies for training and preparing technicians–especially for working with emerging technology like EVs and ADAS.

The organization is looking to introduce a skills-based certification model for technicians in 2025. 

This fall, AVTECC will release its industry and program standards for teaching EV repair, with instruction for technicians of various skill levels, ranging from secondary and post-secondary career and technical transportation programs, to OEM and aftermarket professional training providers.

“One element that has been missing from training and credentialing programs in our industry is the measurement of technician skills,” said Macholz. “Our organization believes that skills-based training and certification are the key to preparing highly-qualified technicians.”