Now that the new school year has commenced, the ASE Education Foundation is encouraging instructors to offer their students the ASE Entry-Level Certification tests to assess their knowledge now.

Geared toward students completing a program of technical study, ASE Entry-Level Certification tests are available for the automobile, collision repair/refinish and medium/heavy truck segments. The tests are designed and calibrated for those with little or no hands-on work experience. The students get two attempts at each test in a series when they sign up and when they pass, their ASE Entry-Level Certification is good for two years.

“Many schools wait until the end of the Spring semester to give the ASE Entry-Level tests and save the second attempt in case the student misses passing by a few points on the first attempt,” said Mike Coley, ASE Education Foundation president. “However, we believe that the Entry-Level tests, if given at the beginning of the year as a diagnostic tool, have great value in seeing what the students know individually and as a group. Based on the results, instructors can determine what they need to cover during the school year and test again at the end of the year to see how much the students learned, both individually and as a group.”

ASE entry-level certification tests

The ASE Entry-Level Certification tests are designed to indicate a substantial level of practical, knowledge-based readiness for the workforce in those seeking a career in the automotive service industry. The tests are intended for students in career and technical programs and are a predictable gauge for future success with ASE professional-level certifications.

ASE Entry-Level tests are available to all schools, regardless of ASE-accreditation status. The tests feature knowledge-based questions, rather than diagnostic-based scenarios, and are designed for those with limited hands-on work experience.

“For students, ASE Entry-Level Certification is a gateway to a professional automotive career and demonstrates to employers a potential to become a high-performing employee,” continued Coley. “For schools, these tests can also serve as an excellent metric for a training program’s effectiveness, and for employers, this credential is a way to evaluate the skills of entry-level prospective hires. We encourage all students to ask their instructors about ASE Entry-Level Certifications and recommend that schools and employers contact the ASE Education Foundation if they need more information about the program.”

For more information on ASE Entry-Level Certification, visit www.ASE.com/entry-level.