D’Wayne Shaw is the Dean of Public Services & Industrial Technologies at Kilgore College in East Texas. In this first of a two-part Podcast Series, we’ll talk with instructors at both college and high school Career and Technology Education (CTE) programs whose mission is to train the next generation of automotive and collision repair technicians. It’s a challenging task made even harder by the current pandemic. More than ever before, both secondary and post-secondary CTE programs need the help of ASA members and the entire industry in preparing the technical talent we so sorely need to create and grow successful businesses and attract more fresh talent to replace an aging workforce as they retire. Hear all about it as D’Wayne shares his perspective on such topics as:.

• How he became an automotive instructor and grown the Kilgore CTE program as Dean.
• The qualifications his programs have achieved, including accreditation by the ASE Education Foundation, to provide effective training and preparation for their students.
• The importance of relationships with the local repair community to provide internships and school-to-work opportunities for the next generation.
• The value an active Advisory Committee brings in building a stronger CTE program.
• The role independent repair shops, fleet operations and dealers play in developing technical talent.
• How CTE programs work and the role of internships in identifying those students with a passion for our industry.
• The personal, real-world experience he and his instructors bring to the classroom.
• How Kilgore is coping with the COVID crisis through the summer and the plans for bringing back students in the fall.
• The value of virtual training.
• The biggest challenges facing his program and what you can do to help.

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