Top Student Auto Technicians to Compete for Over 10 Million

    WASHINGTON--June 1, 2001--The 102 best high school automotive technicians from each state and Washington, D.C. will go head to head in the national finals of the FORD/AAA Student Auto Skills competition, held on June 18 in Washington, D.C.
    The contestants are competing for over 10 million in scholarships and prizes.
    "Today's automobile is an extremely sensitive, sophisticated piece of equipment," said James Dunst, Auto Skills contest manager. "The students participating in this contest will help these cars last longer, run cleaner and get better fuel efficiency."
    The Student Auto Skills competition draws more than 6,000 students nationwide, as well as several international teams such as Australia, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico to compete in a parallel competition. Fifty-five new Ford vehicles will be deliberately and identically bugged and lined up south of the Lincoln Memorial for this hand-on test of high-tech auto repair.
    Every student participating in the national finals has been offered a full two-year scholarship to any of the 61 Ford ASSET (Automotive Student Service Educational Training) programs. Participants in the program can earn a two-year associate degree in automotive technology and get a chance to "earn-as-they-learn" by working at Ford-Lincoln-Mercury dealerships.
    According to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 14,000 experienced automotive technicians have been retiring annually. In addition, the number of new technicians has been dropping significantly, with only 2 or 3 entering the field for every 10 retiring.
    "There is a tremendous shortage of trained automotive technicians in our country and around the world," said Dunst. "This program is designed to encourage young people to enter this field as their career."
    Contest activities begin at 7:45 a.m., with the competition beginning at 9:15 a.m. and concluding at 10:45 a.m. The winners will be announced at 11:15 a.m.
    As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides its members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.

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