(WACO) – Texas State Technical College’s Automotive Technology program recently received several donations from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles – North America.
The donations include 2014 models of the Chrysler 200 S, Jeep Cherokee Latitude and Dodge Ram 3500 Turbo Diesel truck as well as eight engines.
The vehicles and engines will be used by TSTC students in the nationwide Mopar Career Automotive Program (MCAP). The program is a blended internship and technical education program training college students to be factory-certified to work at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles dealerships nationwide. TSTC’s MCAP program has 14 students, with another 20 students beginning classes this fall.
The vehicles, which have high-end features such as electric windows and state-of-the-art control panels, are valued at more than $90,000. Students will also learn about the vehicle’s software and new emission systems — the kinds of things the students will eventually encounter as technicians in dealerships.
“Most of these vehicles are write-offs for the manufacturer,” said George Williams, a TSTC Automotive Technology instructor. “It gives our students access to the newest technology.”
The four 1.4 L MultiAir engines are valued at $1,500 each, the three 3.6 L Pentastar engines are valued at $2,000 each and the Cummins 6.7 L diesel engine is valued at $10,000.
“We can show demonstrations on the diesel engine,” said Matthew Mills, a TSTC Automotive Technology instructor. “It gives the students an opportunity to do more hands-on work better than sitting in a classroom.”
Some of the engines will stay in plastic and on pallets until they are rotated in for use in classes. Students are expected to begin using the engines in midsummer.
“The engines can be taken apart and put together just a few times,” Williams said. “The old engines are recycled and get crushed, and we receive new ones.”
TSTC offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Automotive Technology – Chrysler Specialization.
For more information on Texas State Technical College, go to tstc.edu.
