AUTOMOTIVE CONFERENCE LINKS PROGRAM WITH INSTRUCTORS
By Pete Rosenbery
The Department of Automotive Technology hosted the 80th Illinois College Automotive Instructor’s Association Conference for two days in October at the Transportation Education Center. Nearly 200 high school and post-secondary automotive instructors from across the Midwest attended the conference.
This is the fifth time SIU hosted the conference; the last time in 2003. There were five different presentation sessions featuring 35 different peer-reviewed paper presentations and a half-day vendor/trade show to share the latest in technology and teaching methods.
Michael Behrmann, department chair, said the conference raised the program’s visibility and for many, was a first-time visit to TEC. It is important for automotive instructors in high school and community college to have an opportunity to meet and share ideas, he said. Instructors are required by the largest automotive education accrediting body to maintain at least 20 hours of advanced training each year.
“With technology in the automotive industry advancing in numerous areas such as electronics, autonomous vehicles, industry regulations, fuels, and emission controls, continual training is extremely important for the automotive instructors,” Behrmann said.
The competitive admissions program has 263 on-campus students, and Behrmann said is one of the largest undergraduate on-campus programs at SIU Carbondale and the largest within the College of Applied Sciences and Arts.
“With a high percentage of student applicants being recommended to SIU by their high school or community college instructors, this conference was an important event for the university and community,” Behrmann said.
The program continues to offer state-of-the-industry technology with the assistance of corporate donations, many with the help of automotive technology alumni.
Recent corporate donations to the program include:
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Navistar International Corporation recently donated a gift in-kind support of front steer axles, differential assemblies, fifth hitch assemblies, and numerous engines.
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General Motors recently donated the program’s first compressed natural gas vehicle, which help learning and research opportunities for faculty and students. The company also donated a Cadillac CTS-V, which features a 6.2L supercharged V-8 engine that produces 556-horsepower, and a 2015 GMC Sierra Crew Cab Denali truck.