New Automotive Youth Program Addresses School-to-Work Initiative

Helps Meet Shortage of Qualified Auto Technicians; State Auto Dealers Pump Over $225,000 Into Scholarship Foundation

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Monday, April 24 -- The California Motor Car Dealers Association (CMCDA) is pleased to announce the launch of its new Automotive Youth Education Systems (AYES) program at Ontario High School in Ontario. An open house will take place Wednesday, April 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Auto Lab of the high school located at 901 West Francis St.

Recently, the state's new car dealers raised over $225,000 at a Gala Scholarship Dinner headlined by Emmy Award Winning Comedian Dennis Miller. The money benefits the Association's Scholarship Foundation to fund auto technician scholarships.

AYES is a unique school-to-work initiative and a public/private partnership between auto manufacturers, new car dealers, high school career technical education programs and the California Department of Education (Jack O'Connell, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, is an AYES board member).

"With AYES affiliation, Ontario High School now joins with Ontario automotive franchise dealership partners to offer enhanced career technical education opportunities to students," said Steve Ford, AYES state director for Southern California. "AYES offers real-world automotive internships, school lab training on new manufacturer-donated lab vehicles and access to the most advanced automotive curriculum available."

Over the next 10 years California's new car dealers will have to recruit 3,600 auto technicians each year to keep up with today's demand. With the pending shortage, job opportunities for students who complete automotive training programs in high school, vocational and technical schools, and community colleges will be abundant. Auto technicians can earn $40,000 to $100,000 annually

CMCDA's AYES has over 20 California schools on its roster that join more than 400 AYES school programs nationally. Ontario High School is the newest California AYES school.

About CMCDA

The California Motor Car Dealers Association (CMCDA) is a statewide trade association that represents the interests of over 1,350 franchised new car dealer members.

About AYES

Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES) is a partnership among 14 participating automotive manufacturers, participating dealers across the nation, and selected high schools/tech prep schools. For more information, visit the AYES web site: www.ayes.org.