Teams from seven New Jersey high schools will compete at the second annual New Jersey Auto Tech Competition, sponsored by the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers (NJ CAR), at Brookdale Community College on Saturday, January 18, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

The two-student teams will be scored on eight hands-on stations that will measure their ability to assess and undertake vehicle repairs including: brakes, engine mechanical, engine performance, controller area network (CAN) diagnostics, heating and air conditioning (HVAC), electrical, wiring repair and a STEM station. Faculty and technicians from Brookdale will serve as judges for the competition.

Members of the top three teams are eligible for scholarships to attend Brookdale Community College courtesy of the Brookdale Foundation. First place team members can receive a $1,000 scholarship each, followed by $750 each for second place team members and $500 each for third place finishers.

The winning team will represent New Jersey at the National Automotive Technology Competition taking place in April 2020 as part of the New York Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Center.

The New Jersey schools participating in the 2020 competition include: Passaic County Technical Institute, Atlantic County Institute of Technology, Hunterdon County Polytech, Vineland Senior High School, Warren County Technical High School, Mercer County Technical Schools and Old Bridge High School

Brookdale’s auto technician program provides students with an associate’s degree and path toward an excellent career in the automotive repair industry, at a fraction of the cost and with less incurred debt for students compared to private, for-profit providers.

NJ CAR offers an Automotive Technician Apprenticeship Program that promotes the benefits of a career as a skill auto technician and provides both classroom and on-the-job training at a growing number of New Jersey neighborhood new car and truck dealerships.

Photo Caption: Students from Hunterdon County Polytech took first place honors in the 2019 event