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OT Technology Education Programs

765 views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  Pete88YJ 
#1 ·
I've been going to school for industrial Tech ed at Northern MI University for 2 1/2 years now and am not into our school of education and probably won't get in unless I get really lucky and get in on an appeal (almost never happens here). If I can't get into our school of education next semester (so I can start taking education classes fall of 2006) I need to transfer some where else for the fall of 2006 semester.

I've started looking at different schools and programs. I want to get an industrial or applied technology education program. I don't think i would be able to teach high school autos with out an education degree in most schools.

The college I’m at now the program doesn't require a single autos class and the technology side of the program is pretty weak. I think I have another 2-3 years once I get admitted into the education program. The education degree here also requires a teachable minor. Right now my teachable minor is geography since it’s the easiest teachable minor, it’s a complete waste of time. I am also picking up an autos associates degree here, but the 2 autos teachers we have here pretty much suck and the only time I learn anything is working on my 4x4 projects in the lab.

One program I’ve found is Southern Maine; they have an applied technology education degree. The degree requires 3 years occupational experience and would require me to take probably 1 1/2 years of classes there. I will have a year working in parts come June and will have 2 semesters of autos classes after the spring '06 semester, I’m guessing that would count for a year in the field. Starting this summer I would have to find a job in a shop some where for another 2 years. This program seems like I would actually get something out of it and learn about what I want to teach.

Another school is Southern Utah in Cedar City. They have an autos emphasis which I already have credits for, I can get into their school of education and it would probably take me another 2 years. Seems like good wheeling though not really learning much about what I’m going to teach.

Anybody know about any other technology education programs that don't require a super high gpa (i think mine is a 2.5) with an emphasis in autos. I'm floundering around right now wasting my time and my dad's money and need to get my ducks in a row.
 
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#2 ·
Andy, just so I understand, what is your end goal?

Teach a High School Auto Tech program?
Maybe run an offroad Shop?
Something else?

If the goal is to teach auto tech at a high school, spend some time surfing around the net. I just did this morning (to gain some knowledge to try to give an intellignet answer to you) and got a good number of hits on Auto Tech Schools, and a lot of them have an "about the instructor" section. Read up on the background of the guys teaching these courses. Did they start as ASE certified mechanics? Teachers? What degrees do they have? There seems to be a number of certifications for technical education programs (NATEF, for one). Have you checked to see how that would effect your credentials, on which school you pick? Is their program NATEF certified, etc.

Other than that, I can attest that Southern Maine is a beautiful place - Jeepchick and I spend a good amount of time in Maine. Good wheelin' (though mostly on private land), good active clubs, and Northern Maine is very rural, with Mount Katahdin, the nothern end of the appalachian trail, if you're into outdoor stuff. And of course, the ocean.

Obviously, Utah has great wheelin', and is just about the 4-wheelin center of the country, and Michigan, with Detroit right there, must have plenty of automotive-oriented opportunities, depending on what exactly you want to do.

Good luck
Pete
 
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