Automotive Technology, Certificate of Technology

Program Information

With automotive technology rapidly developing each year and becoming increasingly complex, the industry demand for qualified service technicians grows exponentially. At San Jacinto College, students receive the proper hands-on training and education to excel and become successful in the automotive field. Students study the eight areas of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), with the goal of becoming properly trained, certified, and employed at an automotive repair facility. After graduation, students will have several exciting career avenues from which to choose, including service technician, shop foreman, service advisor, service manager, parts counter, and car sales – all areas that reward hard workers and strong talent.

The San Jacinto College Future Automotive Service Technicians (FAST) Automotive Technology program:

  • Offers lectures and in-class demonstrations, combined with practice lab skill sets, which better prepare and train students to transition into the work force;
  • Provides students with the opportunity to work in the automotive field while attending school, in the Earn While You Learn program; 
  • Teaches students the theory of operation, component identification, and diagnostic procedures; all of which helps develop critical thinking skills necessary for proper vehicle diagnostics along with better preparation for passing the ASE exams; and
  • Provides students the hands-on experience needed for proper development and training.

Additional Information

All automotive technology programs at San Jacinto College are accredited through ASE Education Foundation.

Career Opportunities

The San Jacinto College Automotive Technology program prepares students for careers in:

  • Automotive dealerships;
  • Independent service shops;
  • Franchise repair shops;
  • Exhaust shops;
  • Brake shops; and
  • Tire specialty shops.

Earning Potential

Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics: $50,195 per year1

1

Source: texaswages.com, median salary Gulf Coast region, 2021

For more information, students may call Tommy Hendricks, Program Coordinator at 281-998-6350, x1150 or thomas.hendricks@sjcd.edu or Kay Richardson, Department Chair at 281-991-2608 or kay.richardson@sjcd.edu

Campus

Central Campus

Information

The Automotive Technology curriculum is designed to provide basic training for students to fill entry-level positions in the fields of automotive service excellence. The trainee certificate is currently only offered to dual credit and Early College High School students to meet the unique needs of these dual-enrollment students. Students interested in an  Automotive Technology Level 2 Certificate or Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree can reference the following awards in the catalog: 

Future Automotive Service Technicians (FAST) Program Automotive Technology, Level 2 Certificate of Technology

Future Automotive Service Technicians (FAST) Program Automotive Technology AAS

Students enrolling into San Jacinto College programs with external learning experiences (i.e., clinical, practicum, externship, cooperative, etc.) will be required to comply with the immunization requirements and policies of the clinical/external learning sites to engage in all clinical/external learning experiences. Vaccination requirements at clinical/external learning sites are implemented pursuant to the independent authority of such facilities and are not mandated by San Jacinto College. Failure to meet the immunization requirements mandated by clinical/external learning sites may limit a student’s ability to complete the program and/or may delay the student’s graduation date. San Jacinto College does not process exemptions, and students should address potential vaccination exemptions directly with the clinical/external learning site.

Plan of Study

4AUTO-TEC

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
First TermCredits
AUMT 1201 Introduction and Theory of Automotive Technology 2
AUMT 1407 Automotive Electrical Systems 4
 Credits6
Second Term
AUMT 2421 Automotive Electrical Diagnosis and Repair 4
AUMT 1410 Automotive Brake Systems 4
 Credits8
Second Year
First Term
AUMT 1416 Automotive Suspension and Steering 4
AUMT 1345 Automotive Climate Control Systems 3
 Credits7
Second Term
AUMT 1419 Automotive Engine Repair 4
AUMT 2289 Internship - Automotive Technology 2
 Credits6
 Total Credits27