College Scholarships of $422,207 in 5 years. Photo credit: OCADA
The Orange County Automobile Dealers Association’s (OCADA) well-established partnership with local community colleges has been strengthened over the past few months, despite the challenges of virtual classes and programs.
This is due in part to the leadership of Jaime Gonzalez, ATL Regional Director, and the ongoing engagement OCADA has with its partner colleges: Cypress, Fullerton, Golden West, Saddleback and Santa Ana College.
When COVID-19 hit, Gonzalez worked with OCADA to continue supporting Orange County auto students since need for trained techs remains strong in the region.
“Knowledgeable auto techs are in high demand, as our industry faces a shortage of about 350 auto tech employees annually in Orange County,” said Kim McPhaul, OCADA’s Director of Workforce Development. “The community college programs are essential to our industry, by providing mechanically-minded students a comprehensive education – often without any college debt.
OCADA supports students through its scholarship program, recruiting events, and competitions. This year, 65 students received auto technology scholarships funded by OCADA to attend OC community colleges, totaling more than $20,000.
Hiring events held on campus are also extremely popular with students, faculty and participating employers.
“We see the on-campus hiring events as a win-win-win because students start a career that can lead to a six-figure salary, faculty start partnerships with local industry professionals, and our members hire some outstanding employees,” McPhaul said.
McPhaul adds that building the K-12 pipeline is a priority for OCADA, too. “To be a good partner to the community colleges, we feel that as we hire students out of their programs, we must also help recruit new students into their programs.”
OCADA’s annual automotive competition has brought high school students across the region together to compete for scholarships for more than 25 years. “OCADA’s high school competition is an opportunity to find these students with a gift of a mechanical mind and the drive to expand their automotive knowledge in college,” McPhaul said. Competition organizers look forward to resuming it in 2021 after COVID-19 canceled this year’s event.
In the coming months, more than 3,000 high school students will have the opportunity to participate in a virtual automotive career pathway program, which includes dealership tours, tips for success from management, and inspiration from recent college alumni in the industry.
Gonzalez is also working to connect more than 1,500 community college students with OCADA dealerships virtually. He partnered with the dealers to create a customized platform that allows student users to create profiles on the site and apply directly to current open jobs at more than 100 new vehicle dealerships in Orange County.
“Students can highlight their completed courses, industry credentials, expected program completion date, work hours availability, and more,” Gonzalez said.
McPhaul recognizes the many contributions Gonzalez has made and appreciates his partnership. “Jaime has been integral in communicating our industry’s needs with Orange County educators and OCADA recently launched OC Driven for Success, a 501(c)3 Foundation, to grow our financial support of Orange County students,” she said. “Working together, I see a bright future for the next generation of auto techs.”
For more information on OCADA’s partnership with high school and community colleges, visit: https://ocada.org/technician-recruitment
