The Automotive Service Association (ASA) has announced a new initiative designed to bring management and technical training to several regions of the United States in 2016.
First up, ASA has scheduled a training event for February in Orlando, Florida. This event will be held in conjunction with ASA’s newest affiliate: ASA-Florida. Program details, including date, speakers and topics for discussion, will be announced soon.
A few months later, a similar event has been scheduled in Illinois in cooperation with ASA-Illinois. Details of this program also will come later.
ASA says it developed the concept for these regional training events based on demands of the marketplace and the needs of ASA members. Typically, service repair shop owners and managers do not have the ability to close down their operations for several days during the week without adversely impacting their businesses.
“We understand the value of a shop’s time, but we also understand its need for ongoing training if it’s going to remain viable and profitable,” said Tony Molla, ASA vice president.
ASA plans to deliver this training in a two-day format, with management training on Friday and technical training on Saturday. The schedule is intended to create a learning environment that is least disruptive to a shop’s business and revenue.
Shop owners and managers attending the training sessions will receive credit from the Automotive Management Institute (AMI) toward earning their Automotive Accredited Manager (AAM) designation.
Jeff Peevy, AMI president, said, “AMI has quickly re-established its presence in the industry as the only nationally recognized degree for automotive managers for the collision and service repair industries. This is an ideal opportunity for shop owners and managers to earn credits toward their AAM in a single weekend.”
Dan Risley, president of ASA, added, “ASA and its board of directors will continue to seek opportunities to help our members grow their respective businesses through our national trade show, NACE | CARS, membership benefit programs and these regional training events.”
ASA Chairman Donny Seyfer, AAM, commented, “ASA remains committed to giving back to the industry and to independent collision and service repair businesses in the United States. We support and give back to those who support us.”