In case you haven’t heard, ASE Certification has gone paperless. From now on, automotive professionals seeking to demonstrate their knowledge and proficiency by taking an ASE certification test will do so using a computer.
ASE certification has been an industry standard for 40 years. It’s a hallmark of the top performing technicians. Research has shown that ASE-certified staff are more productive and accurate than their non-certified counterparts, with fewer comebacks. Shop owners and managers report a preference for certified individuals when making hiring decisions. It’s a great third-party assessment tool to help identify where training needs lie, and help validate the effectiveness of that training when an individual successfully passes a certification test they previously failed. It’s also a good way to identify the all-stars in your fleet service operation.
The new ASE testing program is delivered in secure, proctored testing centers in centralized locations four times a year. Each test period is eight weeks long, offering a wide window to choose and reserve the time and location that best fits your busy schedule, with day, night or weekend appointments available. ASE certification tests are taken on an easy-to-use computer work station, with point-and-click simplicity. Best of all, the results are delivered immediately upon completing each test, so there’s no more waiting for weeks to receive a letter in the mail.
Registration for the new ASE testing program is done during open registration periods through an individual myASE account, or by phone during each testing window. If a technician has ever taken an ASE test before, a myASE account has already been set up and only needs to be activated. First-timers can easily set up their free myASE account at www.ase.com/myASE. Once registered, one can pick a test center and schedule test appointment times through myASE, as well.
A myASE account allows an individual to view certification status, receive recertification reminders and much more. In fact, employers will soon be able to establish myASE accounts for their fleet operation, allowing easier management and tracking of their technician’s certification status. It’s an improvement on a proven and effective industry certification program that offers more opportunities to test and greater convenience than ever before.
Fleet managers know that ongoing training is a fact of life to keep your technicians abreast of changing technology. It’s a competitive advantage, as well as a significant investment. Maximizing that training investment is as much about verifying effectiveness as it is increasing productivity, accuracy and capability. This is where training and certification work hand-in-hand, each complimenting the other.
But it’s also about helping your technicians grow in their chosen profession. Finding ways to instill pride in accomplishment for those individuals upon whom we depend to keep our fleets running efficiently will not only improve your service operation, it will improve your people. And that is a goal worth achieving.
