MOOREFIELD, W.Va. — Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College (Eastern) was awarded $88,420 for its proposal to the West Virginia Community & Technical College System (WVCTCS) and West Virginia Advance “Rapid Response Workforce Development” and Technical Program Development (TPD). Due to the advance grant, the college has purchased a new alignment machine and an Advanced Driver-Assistance System (ADAS) calibration machine to provide students in the Automotive Technology program with equipment up to industry standards.
“We are very excited to get, not only a new alignment machine but also a state-of-the-art Advanced Driver-Assistance System (ADAS) calibration machine for the Automotive Technology program here at Eastern,” said Jay Crites, Eastern’s Automotive Technology Faculty/Instructional Specialist. “The auto tech program has grown steadily over the past four years, and acquiring this new technology will allow us to grant every student who goes through the program a micro-credential in steering and suspension.”
The Automotive Technology program is located at Eastern’s Technology Training Center in Petersburg. Students who enroll in this program can complete a one-year certificate program and a two-year A.A.S. degree. After completing the program, students are prepared to take the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification exams.
“The ADAS is used to calibrate the sensors on newer vehicles that help monitor and control driver assistance technologies such as lane assist, blind spot awareness, and adaptive cruise control, among others,” said Crites. “Few dealers in our extended area have the capabilities of working on these systems, so it will be a tremendous benefit for Eastern to be able to train technicians to work on this rapidly growing, and extremely high need, technology.”
Eastern is focused on advancing the automotive technology program by collaborating with local businesses. One example is Weimer Automotive, where, through this partnership, a learn-and-earn program was created to allow second-year auto tech students to intern at Weimer. Second-year students can choose between the internship or continuing education at the Petersburg Technology Training Center. Students who opted into the learn-and-earn program were hired immediately by Weimer after graduating. Currently, auto tech graduates boast a 100% job placement rate. To enroll in the Automotive Technology program, email askeastern@easternwv.edu or call 304-434-8000. More information on the program can be found at https://easternwv.edu/academics/automotivetechnology/.
About Eastern Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College, located in Moorefield, serves six rural counties in the Potomac Highlands. The college offers 14 degree programs (including six fully online), 12 certificates, and over 30 transfer pathways to four-year schools. Its Workforce Education department provides 15+ training programs in various formats and specialized Agriculture Innovation training, including mentorship opportunities for Farm Fellows. Eastern supports students and the community through its Career Center, offering job placement, resume help, and interview preparation. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
