The Automotive Training Managers Council (ATMC) met in Nashville, Tennessee, on October 2­­–5. The event began with the Board of Governors convening and welcoming NAFTC Executive Director Al Ebron, who attended the meeting in his new role of first vice president.

The meeting’s theme, “Working in Harmony: OEM, Fleet and Aftermarket,” indicated that the learning curve for technicians is increasing, and the automotive industry as a whole must work diligently to keep up with the technician’s demand for information.

NAFTC Photo Attendees networking and discussing different vendor's products relating to automotive training at the ATMC Fall Conference Vendor Expo

Some of the presentations given at the event included “Ford Hybrid Escape, 1 Year Later: Field Services and Training Effectiveness” by Jim Groat, Ford Motor Company; “Medium-Duty Hybrids and Fleet Training Challenges” by David Simmons, FedEx; “Voice of the Independents: ‘Where Is All the New Technology Training?’” by Joe Torchiana, One Stop Tire and Auto Service; and “‘Pathways’ Technician Career Ladder Initiative” by Tom Mackin and Gary Main, Shoreline Community College.

Other highlights of the meeting were tours of the Chevrolet Corvette Plant and a presentation, “Evolution of Organizational Training” at Bowling Green Assembly and a tour of the Nashville Glass Plant facility and a presentation “Successful Technology-Based Training Implementation.” The event concluded with a Board of Governors meeting.

ATMC’s next scheduled meeting will be in Orlando, Florida, on April 2–5, 2006.

NAFTC Photo ATMC general meeting attendees