The next time you service your Toyota or Lexus vehicle at one of the brands’ nearly 1,500 dealerships across the U.S., it is likely that a certified technician from Toyota Motor North America’s (TMNA) T-TEN program (Technician Training & Education Network) serviced your vehicle.
With 36 current locations in the U.S., the T-TEN program partners with schools and organizations to offer students an opportunity to earn degrees and certificates that comply with the highest training standards in the automotive industry, including an associate’s degree, National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certifications, and Toyota and Lexus technician training certifications.
In September, the T-TEN program will formally launch its Technical Education College Support Elite (TECS) program, and will expand its reach to eight new locations across the country – 44 total – to help fill the pipeline for well-trained, certified technicians with hands-on automotive diagnosis and repair education. TECS designates Advanced Automotive Technology (AAT) programs at certain locations as certified training centers for Toyota and Lexus vehicles. These eight new locations are:
- Andrada Polytechnic High School, Tucson, Ariz.
- Cherry Creek Innovation Center, Centennial, Colo.
- Collin College Technical Campus, Allen, Texas
- Contra Costa College, San Ramon, Calif
- Fresno City College, Fresno, Calif.
- Hartnell College, Salinas, Calif.
- Lincoln College of Technology, Columbia, Md.
- Vehicles for Change, Baltimore, Md.
“Trained auto technicians are in great demand and are the key to any successful dealership,” said Joseph Myers, technician development manager for the T-TEN program at TMNA. “We are grateful for the opportunity to expand the program’s reach to eight new schools and organizations that not only fulfills our needs, but also provides stable jobs and career security that aims to give vehicle owners the most satisfying service experience possible.”
T-TEN technician training is available with different programs, degrees and certificate options, and the typical program length is two years. Once participants complete the program, they have the ability to apply for open service technician positions at Toyota or Lexus dealerships, or any automotive service operation, including independent service and repair shops.
Since its inception in 1986, the T-TEN program has graduated nearly 12,000 students. Through its Military Technician Education Network (M-TEN) in partnership with Hiring Our Heroes and the Department of Labor, active duty service members and veterans can participate in an intensive 12-week automotive technician training program and earn credits towards becoming a certified technician.
To learn more about T-TEN, please visit www.t-ten.com, and to learn more about M-TEN, please visit www.hiringourheroes.org/fellowships/mten.
