Not only are Mitchell 1's PerformanceCenter (MPC) training
sessions providing shop owners and service advisors the
professional training they need to help improve and grow their
businesses, the program is now also being used in high schools
across the country to help ensure that young people get the best
possible education, training and preparation for a career within
the automotive industry.
"Mitchell 1's PerformanceCenter provides a head start on
students' automotive repair career paths, allowing them to
actually learn their roles now, while gaining the real-world
technical expertise that's required in shops today," says Tim
McDonnell, Mitchell 1's national training manager. "Exposure to
MPC at the high school level gives these students a clear
advantage entering into the automotive repair job market.
Because they've had experience with being a service writer
and/or technician on Mitchell 1 shop management software, they
don't require training because they're already up to speed on
program concepts required for these duties in an actual shop.
They stand out as more fully qualified candidates, ready to step
into the role because they can demonstrate expertise."
At New Caney High School in New Caney, Texas, automotive
instructor Jack Garrett uses Mitchell 1's PerformanceCenter as
an integral part of his classroom instruction. Students receive
shop management certification by watching six learning modules
that include actual shop management program screens and work
scenarios. Upon passing all six module quizzes, they receive a
certificate of completion and an MPC patch.
To further develop their diagnostic skills, Garrett gives each
student a paper with a fictitious customer, vehicle and repair
issue, and asks how they would go about diagnosing and solving
the problems. Once they understand their individual tasks, the
students head to their computers and begin writing estimates in
Mitchell 1's Manager Plus program, as well as looking up the
required parts and labor in Estimator. Depending on what the job
calls for, the students can also access specifications and
diagrams using OnDemand5.
"In my classroom, the students are both the service advisor and
technician," says Garrett. "They have to create the job, go
through it, create the estimate, do everything so that if
someone like an assistant principal comes in and asks, ‘What is
that black Chevrolet truck doing here?' we're able to bring up
the order that shows exactly what we're doing to it and who is
working on it, just like you would in a regular shop. Even
students that come out of post-secondary education often have
trouble learning the management system, so PerformanceCenter
definitely gives our students an advantage when they go looking
for a job."
PAGE 2Garrett adds, "One of the things that's going on with high
schools right now, particularly with vocational programs, is
that they're scrambling to get more certifications. I think once
word gets out to all the high schools and instructors, they will
fully embrace this. Mitchell 1's PerformanceCenter fell right
into our lap; it's exactly what we needed."
The goal of PerformanceCenter is to increase users' capabilities
with Mitchell 1 programs, and in turn, increase the perceived
value of the products to their business.
MPC features include:
- Self-paced management software learning modules (30
minutes each)
- High-quality format
- Easy-to-follow program - (just click, watch and learn)
Available 7-days a week / 24-hours a day
- Quick Answers
- Frequently asked questions are handled with text,
graphics or video for 24/7 user assistance
- Video FAQ's
- Short modules for learning specific tasks
- Shop Management User's Forum
- Daily interactions with other Mitchell 1 shop
management & repair software customers
To access from management software, just click on the
Forum icon or browse to
www.managerforum.net.