2 Toyotas donated
to South program
by Sandy Stamper
south campus news editor

Toyota T-TEN has recently donated two new vehicles to the applied automotive technology program at TCC South Campus.
T-TEN, Technical Education Network, donated a 2003 Camry and a 2001 Corolla, bringing to five the total number of vehicles donated to the program.
The company also provides manuals, tools, curriculum materials as well as individual components to improve the learning process for students.
Applied automotive technology students attend a T-TEN school via satellite from Eastfield College with the benefit of not having to commute to Mesquite for classes.
However, TCC is committed to the same standards as other T-TEN schools, Jeff Parks, coordinator of the South Campus applied automotive technology program said.
The program accepts up to 18 individuals per year. According to Parks, they are selected based on an entrance exam as well as an interview.
Prior to entrance into the program, applicants must be employed at a sponsoring dealership.
The New Car Dealers Association of Greater Tarrant County offers a cooperative training program paying $8 an hour with a 50-cent raise in pay every 90 days as long as employees are still a part of the program, Parks said.
Don Cole, technical capacity manager for Gulf States Toyota, said the T-TEN program offers several benefits.
“After students pass the post test, they will be T-TEN certified. Students who go through the program can immediately go into the workforce industry ready.
These graduates have a proven performance and an existing job with Toyota or Lexus stores,” he said.
“At T-TEN, we believe in recruiting and training locally because the chances of a person staying with the company a long time are greatly enhanced.”
Fifty vocational and community colleges nationwide use the T-TEN program with more than 3,500 students involved.
To be selected for the program, the school must be certified by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation and follow strict guidelines to ensure the institutions maintain multiple national standards in areas such as curriculum, equipment, facilities and instructional staff, Parks said.
Standards are developed and updated every three years by educators, industry directors and manufacturers to meet the needs of the automotive industry.
Upon completion of the T-TEN program, Parks said, potential employers interview individuals and place them at participating dealerships based on the individual’s interest and residential proximity to the dealership.
For more information about the Toyota T-TEN program or an applied automotive technology associate’s degree, contact Parks at 817-515-4785.