While many technicians, service writers, managers and owners received training throughout the weekend, Automechanika Chicago’s training side kicked off with a lesson for the trainers and educators themselves.
Scott Brown, president of the International Automotive Technicians Network (iATN), presented “iATN for Educators & Students,” which he described as a course for educators that provides the ins and outs of using iATN in the classroom. He added that the educators would learn how to get their students a head start on their career by gaining an inside look at the industry they are about to enter.
The hands on and example-driven class included Brown walking through a number of iATN features.
“One is how a student using iATN is able to monitor the progression of a broken vehicle (trouble ticket) posted to TechHelp and use it as a case study that they can follow along with and eventually see the ultimate correction of the vehicle fault(s),” Brown highlighted. “The students will get some perspective on how proper communications skills benefit all involved. They can also use the broken vehicle, symptoms, test results etc., when looking up necessary service information.”
The educators beefing up their own training also learned hot to generate student codes for their school and how to take advantage of a special offer that allows the school to provide premium iATN service for all. Brown also taught them how to help their students fill out a skills profile for free in the new iATN Auto Pro Careers site.
“This feature alone provides the student entering the workforce increased discoverable by potential employers,” he added.