One of the most important roles in Team ASE is filled by those individuals who dedicate their knowledge, skills and talents to preparing the technicians we need for today and tomorrow. In this episode, we talk with one of the automotive instructors who knows all too well just how important those technicians are to the future success of repair shops across the nation. Melissa Williams is an automotive instructor at James Rumsey Technical Institute in Martinsburg, West Virginia. She’s been in the automotive industry for 18 years, the last 12 as an instructor. We talked with Melissa at the 2023 ASE Education Foundation Instructor Conference, which she’s attended for the last five years to enhance her technical knowledge by taking advantage of the annual training available to CTE instructors. Melissa has done it all, going from technician to shop owner to automotive instructor in her career, and she uses that experience in the classroom every day.

Hear all about it as we talk with Melissa about:

·         How she got into the industry after serving in the US Army.

·         Her passion for learning new things and automotive technology.

·         The experience working as a technician in a dealership and an independent repair shop in Claxton, GA.

·         How life led her to an instructor position in West Virginia.

·         Her role at Rumsey Technical Institute.

·         How a simulated workplace helps exposes her students to different options.

·         The resources ASE Accreditation provides for her students.

·         Becoming an Evaluation Team Leader (ETL) to help other programs achieve accreditation.

·         Why ASE Certification has been an important part of her career.

·         Using networking opportunities to find new ideas.

·         Her experience as a woman in the automotive industry and as a CTE instructor.

·         How she worked hard to achieve all of her goals.

Stay tuned for more thoughts and advice on the many facets and opportunities available through a career in the automotive service industry as we continue our Team ASE podcast series, and thanks for listening!

For more information on ASE and automotive careers, visit the website at www.ase.com