A factor analytic study of competencies needed by entry-level automotive technicians

This study centered on competencies needed by entry-level automotive technicians. Many students in automotive technician programs immediately seek employment upon program completion. This study is one step toward identifying areas in the automotive technician curriculum that need the most training emphasis.;Data was collected from 285 service managers of Ford dealerships in Texas and Oklahoma using a survey which listed the 42 competencies (variables) from the 8 automobile areas as they appear on the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) task list. The NATEF task list was the basis for the development of the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) examination that is considered the industry skill standard. Service managers were asked to rate each competency based on how important it is that entry-level automotive technicians be fully proficient.;Factor analytic procedures were first used to determine how well one factor would define the construct of automotive technician competencies. One factor accounted for 51.372% of the variance. Exploratory factor analysis resulted in a 4-factor solution and accounted for 71.4% of the variance. Factors were identified as: Engine Repair and Automatic and Manual Transmissions; Engine Performance and Heating and Air Conditioning Systems; Brakes and Suspension/Steering; and Electrical/Electronic Systems.;The relative importance of the 42 competencies was determined by an analysis of their means. All competencies were important, however, some were more important than others. The importance of each factor was analyzed based on the means of the competencies represented by the factor. Factor 4 was considered most important, and Factor 1 was considered least important. Very little difference was found between the importance of Factors 2 and 3. Implications for curriculum developers indicate special emphasis should be placed on competencies related to electrical/electronic competencies. Competencies related to engine repair and transmissions should be trained to an introductory or apprentice level, and greater proficiency would be gained through experience or advanced training.