Automotive Technician Apprenticeship Program

ATAP

St. Michaels, Md. (25 July 2022) – A new endeavor, the Automotive Technician Apprenticeship Program (ATAP), was introduced recently in St. Michaels, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Recognizing the critical dearth of qualified motor vehicle maintenance specialists, not only in Maryland’s eastern regions but throughout the state – and indeed around the U.S. – the program was created under the auspices of the Classic Motor Museum in St. Michaels.

 

Of note:  Nationally, the automotive industry needs 258,000 new automotive technicians every year. Only 48,000 are graduated annually.

 

The museum’s volunteer staff, collaborating with several local automotive repair and maintenance enterprises on the Eastern Shore and the Apprenticeship Division of Maryland’s Department of Labor, ATAP was formally approved by and registered with the Department’s Apprenticeship Council.

 

ATAP is comprised of 2000 hours annually of on-the-job training in a reputable facility – initially in Caroline, Dorchester, and Talbot Counties – with one-on-one learning with a mentor and 160 hours a year of weekly classroom instruction enhanced by online resources. Successful completion of the three-year-long program offers the education needed to take the prestigious Automotive Standard of Excellence tests to obtain the ASE Certificate as well as Maryland’s Department of Labor Certificate of Completion.

​

The new Apprenticeship Program focuses on adults searching for long-term career opportunities. For those looking for a career change – such as military veterans – it offers ideal potential.

 

Apprentices are officially commissioned by an automotive repair and maintenance shop. They are paid for the time they are being trained and mentored, for their time spent in the classroom – at the Classic Motor Museum in St. Michaels -- and for all related time spent online. 

​

Potential apprentices interested in this new program are encouraged to contact the Director of Education at the Classic Motor Museum at 410 745 8979 or at apprenticeship@classicmotormuseum.org for additional information. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, hold a valid driver’s license, and pass the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Drug Test.

 

Automotive repair and maintenance service facilities interested in hosting an ATAP apprentice are asked to contact the Director of Education or by calling the museum.