General Motors will launch the ACDelco Technician Training Excellence Recognition Program this summer with more than 500 hours of available training aligned to the core ASE categories.

The awards program is designed to encourage technicians to expand their skills and maintain a competitive edge in the business.

The company says each technician specialist training path will combine face-to-face and web-based courses. Technicians will receive personalized plaques with ACDelco Specialist medallions for each completed training path. Shop owners will receive a similar plaque with medallions to recognize their shop’s commitment to training.

Equally important, consumers benefit by having their vehicles serviced by trained experts, and shops win business by developing a reputation for service expertise, according to Dale Tripp, manager of ACDelco aftermarket training.

ACDelco has been training aftermarket technicians for nearly 60 years.

GM broke ground in 1957 on 47 regional GM Training Centers with dedicated classrooms for United Motor Service (forerunner to ACDelco) courses. In 2014, technicians enrolled in more than 100,000 hours of ACDelco training courses delivered mostly through ACDelco’s Professional Service Center Program.

Today, ACDelco has 34 full-time trainers who facilitate classroom training during the day, conduct evening seminars and deliver customized training at the service center.  

There are six General Motors training centers with ACDelco dedicated classrooms located in Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta and New York. An additional 27 dedicated ACDelco training locations share GM Service Training Center remote locations. There are another 120 satellite training locations where ACDelco has partnered with community colleges.

ACDelco’s relationship with General Motors means independent shops can take advantage of GM-specific training courses that leverage GM engineering and service expertise – the same industry-leading training dealership technicians receive.

Currently, ACDelco offers about 700 combined entry-level, intermediate and advanced courses. ACDelco says it is also the first company in the aftermarket to offer training in the core automotive ASE certification categories: Engine Repair; Automatic Transmission/Transaxle; Manual Drive Train and Axles; Suspension and Steering; Brakes; Engine Repair; Electrical/Electrical Systems; Engine Performance and Emerging Technologies.

ACDelco technician training consists of full- or half-day instructor-led courses; Web courses and virtual classroom training, which combines the two. Tripp said these choices help shop owners accommodate training while keeping service bays full.

ACDelco is the exclusive original equipment parts brand for Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac, as well as provider of premium aftermarket parts for most other makes and models. Other available applications include off-road, marine and industrial.