National Competition Puts Teens In The Driver's Seat, Highlighti

National Competition Puts Teens In the Driver's Seat, Highlighting the Technology Today's Auto Techs Need to Know

Students from all over the country will be rolling up their sleeves as they face off at the 2007 Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills Competition. Fifty state champion teams representing their high school automotive technology programs will compete for the coveted title of best student auto tech team in the nation, plus scholarships and prizes worth six million dollars in this "Indy 500 of auto repair."

Decked out in colorful red and black "pit crew" uniforms, the students race against the clock and every other two-person team to diagnose and repair identically "bugged" Ford Fusions in a quest to achieve the perfectly repaired car. As vehicles become more advanced, Ford and AAA have partnered to assure that the new generation of automotive technicians is well educated to service the public's motoring needs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the auto industry will have an average of 34,000 job openings per year through 2014, based on growth and net replacement needs. The competition's goal is to encourage students to continue their education and to pursue careers in the automotive service industry. For more information on the program visit www.AAA.com/news.