ONTARIO, Calif., April 26 /PRNewswire/ -- California automotive dealers and educators will celebrate a statewide partnership today with Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES) in a culmination of activities to occur in Southern California beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the Ontario Auto Center.
In a salute to technical education, as one of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's top priorities for improvement, the State of California has deemed the month of April "Automotive Career Month." As a part of a larger initiative, the Ontario-based event will showcase the various facets of California's school-to-career partnerships with automakers, dealerships and schools. AYES will honor six business and education partner dealers at an awards ceremony that will include leading officials, executives, students and dealership mentors.
According to Larry Cummings, president and CEO of AYES, "The business and education partnership between AYES schools and dealers has been a critically important venture in California since 1998, with more than 300 student interns entering this state's automotive dealerships and enhancing their future careers.
"It is through the cooperation of these dealers working with Ontario High School and ones like these across the state of California, along with our OEM partners and the California Motor Car Dealers Association, that we're able to place California students on the path to promising careers in automotive technology," said Cummings.
The AYES award recognition will be given to Ontario-area dealers that have participated in the AYES program by welcoming high school automotive technology interns from a local model automotive program at Ontario High School, Ontario, Calif.
"Our 425 high schools in 46 states provide not only a valuable education- to-career experience, but encourages all participating dealers to work with their local schools to enhance their businesses and communities," Cummings said.
Through affiliation with the nationwide AYES model, automotive student interns enter dealership service departments to gain first-hand knowledge of automotive technology careers.
About Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES)
AYES is a partnership among 10 participating automotive manufacturers, the National Automobile Dealer's Association (NADA), state Automotive Trade Association Executives, Departments of Education, local dealers, and over 440 selected local high schools/tech prep schools in 46 states. AYES' goal is to encourage quality students with a good mechanical aptitude to pursue careers in the fields of automotive service technology or collision repair/refinish, and to prepare them for entry-level positions or challenging post-secondary academic options. For more information, visit http://www.ayes.org .