October 20, 2005 Source: British Columbia Institute of Technology: http://www.bcit.ca/news/releases/newsrelease102005640.shtml Second round of grads finish Ford’s ASSET program BURNABY, BC: Twelve new technicians received diplomas tonight, courtesy of Ford Motor Company of Canada, sponsor of the ASSET program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. ASSET – Automotive Student Service Educational Training – is a BCIT program that paves the way for students to enter the automotive field as a certified Ford technician, or to follow a path to a Bachelor of Technology degree at BCIT, Canada’s premier polytechnic institute. "At Ford we are committed to being leaders in our industry and that includes providing the best possible after-sales service to our valued customers," says David Sanson, Ford of Canada's Regional Manager, Customer Service. In his remarks to the graduating class, Mr. Sanson emphasized the importance of customer relationships: "Our technicians and service advisors are 'the face of Ford' to our customers seeking everything from routine, preventative maintenance to solutions for complex, modern automotive technology. Ford of Canada and its dealers value this relationship which is why the skills acquired in the ASSET program are so important to customer satisfaction and our long-term business objectives." Canada faces a shortage of automotive service technicians in the future, as the current workforce ages and retires, unless more young people are attracted to the profession. Of the 200,000 technicians currently employed in the industry in Canada, more than half our over the age of 40, and less than eight percent are under 25. Students dedicate 90 weeks of in-class training at BCIT coupled with on-the-job experience at participating Ford and Ford-Lincoln dealerships in the Lower Mainland in order to finish their two-year diplomas. Along with the diploma, each graduate received a jacket and watch courtesy of Ford. This year’s graduates are: Andrew Ensing, Bradley Gobbee, Brian Dykshoorn, Chris Wood, Garrison Stewart, Grant Coffey, James McPeake, Mike Brown, Nathaniel Lum Min, Ryan Hanuman, Steven Vanowen and Szabolcs Szilagyi. -30- For further information:
Allison Markin, Media Relations Manager, BCIT
Tel. 604-432-8773
Cell 604-836-6700
allison_markin@bcit.ca John Arnone
Corporate Affairs Manager
Ford of Canada
905-845-2511, ext. 1316 | 