MITSUBISHI Motors Philippines Corp. and its authorized dealer Fast Autoworld Philippines Corp. designed a program to enhance and upgrade the theories, skills and competencies of automotive instructors at the Cebu State College of Science and Technology (CSCST).

Under the program called Industry Immersion of Automotive Technology Instructors of CSCST, the college will send automotive technology instructors as faculty-trainees and its graduating students as on-the-job trainees (OJTs) in Mitsubishi’s facilities.

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Mitsubishi Motors Philippines will provide venue and training to faculty-trainees on various competencies, including automotive electricity and electronics, electronic-controlled fuel inject, engine overhauling and performance testing, automatic transmission, and powertrain, among others.

At the same time, Fast Autoworld will help CSCST improve its training center.

The three institutions signed an agreement last week at Fast Autoworld Philippines Cebu office and showroom in Mandaue City.

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“There is a need to upgrade their knowledge now that we are using high-tech automotive technology, such as laptops or computers in troubleshooting (cars),” said Matronillo Zamora, Fast Autoworld general manager for parts and service.

The program will accommodate a total of 12 trainees—members of CSCST faculty and OJTs—every year.

Every course for the faculty-trainees will run for a week while OJTs will undergo training for 10 months or an equivalent of 1,800 hours.

“This is a good (length of time) because the students will become skilled (technicians). At the same time, we are grooming them to become service advisers,” said Fast Autoworld human resource manager Flordeliza Tangpus.

She said the company is keen on getting OJTs from among students of four-year Industrial Technology course with emphasis on automotive technology.

“CSCST is not necessarily exclusive to Mitsubishi since they also provide OJTs to other car manufacturers. But we want to be given priority and their top students,” she said.

Student-trainees who perform well are guaranteed to find work at Mitsubishi Motors Philipines after they complete their studies.

Fast Autoworld Philippines Corp. will also give out a Mitsubishi Excellence Award to deserving outstanding automotive graduates.

Possible career path for these OJTs, said Zamora, is from technician to lead man to service adviser and, eventually, to service manager.

He lamented, however, that many skilled automotive technicians prefer to work in Australia, Singapore or Canada.