No job? Maybe you can be an auto tech

The Mercedes-Benz USA's (MBUSA) Elite Technician Training program recently graduated its 1,000th student. The 16-week intensive training is modeled upon German apprentice programs and responds to a need for qualified entry-level technicians.

Sherri Carmody

Jan. 8, 2004

Elite Technician Training students at the Allentown, Pa., facility work on interior disassembly of a Mercedes-Benz.

The Elite program started in 1998 in partnership with Universal Technical Institute (UTI). It trains over 400 technicians yearly. The program is open to students who have completed a Master NATEF (National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation) certified secondary automotive program. Elite graduates are prepared for employment with a Mercedes-Benz dealer. MBUSA dealers pay tuition for students who qualify.

Also, MBUSA works with Automotive Youth Educational Systems Inc. (AYES), a Troy, Mich., nonprofit. AYES works with automotive retail centers and secondary/vocational schools that offer high-quality automotive technology programs. This training prepares students for secondary automotive curriculums, as offered at UTI, before applying for Elite training.