MILTON — Locklin Technical Center plans to expand its automotive facility.
The goal is to meet the demand of those seeking careers as Automotive Service of Excellence-certified technicians. The center reportedly has seen increased enrollment of students interested in the automotive repair field.
“I think that the demand for more ASE Certified Automotive Technicians by the industry has led to an increase in the number of students interested in the program,” Locklin Tech Principal Maria LaDouceur stated in an email. “Our Automotive Technology Program is expanding to allow us to train more students.”
LaDouceur said completion of the additional service area, which will include an extra shop area and three automotive bays to service vehicles, is expected before the start of the 2017-18 school year.
Locklin’s program has also received grants and performance funding, based on the number of students who completed and passed the ASE industry certification tests, to purchase new equipment and tools, she said.
“We met last year with Joseph B. ‘Joey’ Harrell, assistant superintendent for Administrative Services for the Santa Rosa County School District, to discuss our facility needs to support the expansion,” LaDouceur said. “The district agreed to help fund the expansion by utilizing (half) sales tax proceeds.”
The technical center offers a National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation-accredited training program, which offers students the opportunity to earn certifications in eight areas of automotive repair.
LaDouceur said the program has two qualified instructors to ensure automotive students are trained on the latest equipment and technology in the automotive repair industry.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Locklin Tech eyes automotive expansion