MA Auto Program Partners with MOPAR to Accelerate Career Pipeline for Techs

After several years of planning, the Manassas Campus-based Automotive Program launched their first official kick-off event on April 19 with the National Career Automotive program MOPAR CAP, a division of the former Chrysler Corporation, now owned by the Netherlands-based automobile manufacturer Stellantis.

This new partnership brings local dealers from leading automotive manufacturers across the state to the campus, to recruit students and supplement their curriculum training with added practical skills and hands-on access, to learn about careers as technicians and how the overall automotive industry works. Students will train with industry software and achieve a Level 1 certification, concurrent with completion of their NOVA degree, propelling them into their careers as qualified entry-level technicians within 6-8 months. The program also provides students with financial support towards completion of their certification, and additional benefits to the college through the donation of training vehicles to the Automotive Program.

Local dealers from Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Ram met with over 40 students, several of whom received job offers on the spot, or have interviews pending for future employment opportunities.

Provost Molly Lynch, who attended the event, spoke with employers as they toured the facilities, meeting faculty & staff, and discussed the many benefits of how this pathway program engages students early in their education, to create a pipeline of trained technicians for automotive dealerships.

The MOPAR CAP program was originally introduced in the Summer of 2021; under the development and leadership of MOPAR College Coordinator, Michael Rentz, in coordination with faculty members John Hicks, Tim Godfrey, Myles Embrey, and Gary Phares. However, due to COVID, the program’s full implementation was delayed until its official launch last April. Future plans are underway to offer more access to and increase engagement with students,
by providing this event each Spring and Fall semester.

NOVA represents one of 100 schools nationwide and is one of only two community colleges in the state, who participate in the MOPAR program. Faculty & advisors, working with students interested in the MOPAR CAP program can learn more about
it on their website at: moparcap.com.

For questions or more information, please contact John Hicks at jhicks@nvcc.edu.

Submitted by:
Karen Todd, MA-Campus & Community Relations Coordinator, ktodd@nvcc.edu