WARREN, Ohio – Trumbull Career & Technical Center has partnered with Hometown Auto Parts, a locally owned NAPA auto parts store, to launch the NAPA Auto Care Apprenticeship Program for high schools in the Mahoning Valley.
The collaboration aims to enhance career opportunities for students pursuing automotive services careers.
TCTC’s Auto Service Technology program now offers students the chance to earn a NAPA Auto Care Certification – a credential essential for employment at NAPA-affiliated auto care centers. It gives aspiring technicians a roadmap to in-demand positions in the automotive industry, enabling them to transition directly into the workforce with a pathway to work for one of the 24 auto care centers in the Valley.
The partnership originated when David Beachler, auto service technology instructor at TCTC, engaged with Hometown Auto Parts owner Ron Potyonek, who owns eight NAPA stores in the Valley. The two brought their relationship to NAPA, which has historically participated in and funded scholarships aimed at supporting technician education.
“NAPA is no stranger to partnering with colleges and high schools for technician education,” Beachler said. “Through this initiative, NAPA and TCTC are supporting young talent by providing them with a pathway into a fruitful career in the automotive trades, a need we know continues to grow every year.”
Additionally, TCTC instructors have access to NAPA Auto Tech, a curriculum designed for advanced automotive skills training currently available to NAPA technicians, as well as discounted equipment like a new tire changer and wheel balancer, and a donation of NAPA’s shop management system, NAPA TRACS, which streamlines vehicle service with its VIN capture app, enhancing efficiency for both students and technicians.
“The TCTC high school initiative partnership will not only benefit local Ohio high school students, but also hopefully set the stage for similar programs nationwide,” said Mike Merhnert, sales manager at Hometown Auto Parts. “Knowing how important filling the technician pipeline is to the industry, partnerships like this aid in fostering talent and providing career options for aspiring young technicians.”