The automotive world has grown increasingly sophisticated, and Salina Tech’s Automotive Technology Program is designed to keep pace. Open exclusively to high-school juniors, the two-year track blends rigorous classroom instruction with genuine shop floor experience, ensuring graduates step directly into the workforce.
Instruction is led by ASE-certified master technicians who bring more than three decades of practical service expertise. Their hands-on approach lets students tackle real diagnostics and repairs, turning abstract theory into concrete competence.
Curriculum depth and hands-on training
Students master a broad spectrum of systems: from steering and suspension to transmission, drive-train, brakes, and electrical components. Each module is paired with lab work that mirrors actual garage scenarios, so learners graduate with the confidence to troubleshoot and repair modern vehicles efficiently.
Beyond core mechanics, the program emphasizes automotive technology program fundamentals such as engine performance, manual and automatic drivetrain maintenance, and HVAC systems. This comprehensive scope aligns with industry expectations for well-rounded technicians.
Certification pathway and state alignment
Throughout the coursework, students earn the full suite of NATEF-approved ASE certifications, including Automatic Transmission/Transaxle, Brakes, Electrical/Electronic Systems, Engine Performance, Engine Repair, Manual Drive Train & Axles, and Suspension & Steering. Completion also grants the Kansas Work Ready certification, reinforcing employability.
The curriculum is officially recognized under CIP Code 47.0604 – Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician – a designation that validates the program’s adherence to national standards for repair, service, and maintenance education.
Accreditation history and regulatory backing
The program’s credibility rests on accreditation by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) a division of the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). The Kansas Board of Regents first approved the alignment on April 14, 2010. Following a policy overhaul by NATEF in summer 2013, the Technical Education Authority ratified the amended alignment on August 21, 2014, granting institutions a one-year window to implement the updated standards.
This layered approval structure—federal, state, and industry—ensures that graduates not only meet but exceed the expectations of employers across Kansas and beyond.
