The Washington Area New Auto Dealers Association

	Forget all the old "grease monkey" stereotypes of auto mechanics. The advanced computer and electronic systems in today's cars and trucks have created high-demand and high-paying new career opportunities for skilled automotive technicians who are computer literate, mathematically-adept, educated and well trained. To help fill that demand in this region, WANADA sponsors the following programs:

Automotive Technician Training Program. This program for recent high school graduates and existing dealership employees is an "earn-while-you-learn" combines classroom instruction with real-world experience gained while working 40 hours per week at a WANADA member dealership.
Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES). To help address the national shortage of qualified service technicians, WANADA has joined forces with AYES, a non-profit organization that forges structured, state-of-the-art "school-to-career" partnerships throughout the nation between auto dealers, manufacturers and local schools. The program provides state-of-the-art auto technician training programs operated through WANADA in the metropolitan Washington area.
"Mini-Dealerships" Operated in conjunction with local boards of education for over 20 years, the Automotive Careers Technology (ACT) program is designed to introduce high school students to automotive careers through "mini-dealerships" licensed as used-car operations to retail vehicles reconditioned by students to the public. Mini-Dealerships are currently operating at Thomas Edison School of Technology, Damascus High School and Gaithersburg High School in Montgomery County, as well as Marshall High School in Fairfax and the Prince George's County Occupational Skills Foundation Automotive Program.