ASHLAND, Mass. (October 3, 2025) – MassBay Community College’s Automotive Technology All Brand Program has been chosen as one of just four programs nationwide to pilot a new skills-based certification and accreditation initiative with the Advanced Vehicle Technology Education and Credentialing Coalition (AVTECC).

This innovative program is designed to better align curriculum and training with the needs of today’s rapidly evolving automotive industry and to prepare students with the real-world skills employers are seeking.   

Through this pilot, MassBay’s Automotive Technology All-Brand program will begin embedding performance-based, industry-recognized skills assessments directly into its automotive curriculum. These assessments are tied to AVTECC certifications, which validate hands-on expertise across all areas of automotive service, with a strong emphasis on emerging technologies such as electric vehicle systems, advancing diagnostics, and drive assistance systems.

“We are honored to be selected for this innovative pilot program, in recognition of MassBay’s continued commitment to delivering an exceptional, skills-based education in the fast-moving automotive technology space,” said MassBay Dean of Automotive Technology David Protano. “By participating, MassBay is shaping the future of automotive technician training, providing the regional market with needed, well-trained, and skilled technicians, while also giving our students the certifications and experience that make them stand out to employers.”

As part of the initiative, MassBay Automotive Technology All-Brand faculty will participate in the Automotive Instructors Institute. This professional development program equips educators with tools to teach advanced technologies and competency-based instruction. This training will help ensure that instructors are prepared to evaluate students on nationally validated skills and keep pace with the demands of a rapidly changing industry. 

“Our goal is to build elite programs that produce exceptional technicians,” said President and CEO of AVTECC David Macholz. “Our accreditation model goes deeper than minimum standards and compliance. It’s about building programs that result in meaningful outcomes for students and the local industry these institutions serve.”

The results of the pilot will help guide the national rollout of AVTECC’s new accreditation framework, which evaluates automotive programs on student achievement, employer engagement, and instructional quality. By aligning programs with real-world workforce needs, the initiative is designed to give students a competitive edge in the job market while providing employers with highly skilled technicians who are ready to contribute on day one. 

MassBay’s Auto Technology is the premier automotive training center in the New England region, offering programs sponsored by four major automotive brands: BMW, Toyota/Lexus, General Motors, and Jeep/Chrysler/Dodge/Ram. These programs provide students with in-depth, product-specific training in automotive technology. Complimenting the major brand programs, MassBay recently launched a non-manufacturer-specific All Brand General Studies program, which provides students with a comprehensive education and hands-on training on multiple types of makes and models of vehicles.

Students are trained on the newest cars, using state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment. The program features a hands-on, paid co-op component, allowing students to learn in a professional setting while earning money and earning college credit simultaneously. MassBay’s automotive program has a 99% placement rate of graduates into full-time jobs by graduation.