AYES Students

Through its dealership and school partners, AYES strives to enhance the public image of dealerships and dealership careers, build local partnerships between dealerships and high quality schools, and foster positive working environments in dealerships.

Qualified high school juniors are invited to take part in AYES. In addition to taking the required academic courses toward their high school degrees, they'll take challenging classroom/laboratory courses in basic automotive technology or collision repair & refinish. Through their participation in SkillsUSA, they'll strengthen their "employability" skills (e.g., dependability, positive attitude, spirit of teamwork). Typically, eligible students will begin their internships at a dealership on a full-time basis during the summer between their junior and senior years. Under the guidance of a "mentor" (an experienced technician), they'll develop both their technical skills and their skills as valuable employees. Upon high school graduation and AYES certification, participating students are prepared to begin full-time entry-level employment, or to advance their technical education.

AYES is designed with continuing professional development in mind. Many participating dealerships anticipate sponsoring their students in manufacturer-supported college-level programs, such as the BMW STEP, Chrysler CAP, GM ASEP, Honda PACT, Toyota T-TEN, or certificate programs offered by Mercedes-Benz. Through their AYES experiences, most students come to realize the importance of continuing their professional development, either through a college degree program or through manufacturer-provided training.

AYES has active affiliations in 45 states.