HISTORY
1917
Automotive Training Center is established as a division of Spring Garden College in Philadelphia, PA.

1917-1918
Early trainees include mechanics for the Red Cross, Motor Messenger Service and the U.S. Army Transportation Corps during World War I.

1946
Spring Garden College purchases separate facilities for Automotive Training Center (now known as ATC) on North Seventeenth Street in Philadelphia to accommodate the post World War II growth of the automotive program.

1968-1969
Enrollment reaches the full capacity of ATC’s Philadelphia facility.

1970
The Richfield School, Inc. (Harry A. Fields, President) purchases ATC from Spring Garden College.

1971
ATC relocates and constructs a new 25,000 square-foot facility with 10 specialized automotive shops and classrooms on a 5-acre campus in Exton, PA, a suburban community 30 miles west of Philadelphia.

1991
The Hiscox family (Steve and Tammy, President and Vice President) purchases ATC.

1993
Automotive Technology is first offered as an evening program.

1994
ATC’s Automotive Technology programs earn Master Certification through ASE (the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence) and NATEF (the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation).

1995
The Collision Reconditioning Technology program earns Master Certification through ASE and NATEF.

1998-1999
BMW begins recruiting at ATC for its specialized "STEP" graduate training program. Mercedes Benz, Jaguar, Audi and Volkswagen follow shortly afterward by accepting ATC’s top graduates into their own manufacturer-specific training programs.

1999
ATC is named the National Winner of the "Award for Excellence in Automotive Training" by the Automotive Industry Planning Council (AIPC) and ASE.

2000
Construction of a 17,000 square-foot expansion is completed to the facility in Exton, including a new Computerized Diagnostic Center equipped with a chassis dynamometer.

2001
Ford Motor Company partners with ATC to provide maintenance and light repair (MLR) training for ATC students.

2002
A Computer Library/Resource Center is added with 26 Internet-ready student computer workstations.

A SuperFlow 2000-horsepower engine dynamometer and computerized flowbench are installed in the Machine Shop to enhance the motorsports/hi-performance curriculum.

ATC is selected as one of three national qualifying sites for the “Engine Masters Challenge” sponsored by Popular Hot Rodding Magazine.

ATC partners with Honda Marine to provide technical training on Honda Outboard marine engines to their authorized dealership technicians in the northeast region.

2003
ATC is sanctioned by the Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia (ADAGP) becoming an official training school of the association supporting their 250 new car and truck franchised dealers throughout the five county region.

2003-2004
ATC is chosen as the Pennsylvania State Winner of the AIPC/ASE Award for Excellence in Automotive Training for two consecutive years.

2004
ATC opens an Annex with 21,000 square feet equipped for additional classrooms and a large automotive shop area.

2005
ATC constructs a new training facility in Warminster, Bucks County, PA. The facility consists of 71,150 square feet situated on 10.5 acres of land.

ATC is chosen as the Pennsylvania State Winner and the National Runner-Up of the AIPC/ASE Award for Excellence in Automotive Training.

2006
ATC Warminster, PA campus is approved to begin training in Marine Service Technology.

ATC is the Pensylvania State Winner and the National Winner of the AIPC/ASE Award for Excellence In Automotive Training.

Mercury Marine partners with ATC offering Mercury University dealer service training at the Warminster campus.

ACCREDITATION
Accredited by:
The Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT)

Licensed by:
The Pennsylvania State Board of Private Licensed Schools

Awards:
Selected by the Automotive Industry Planning Council (AIPC) and Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) as the National Winner 1999-2004 and 2006-2011 and the National Runner-Up (2005) for "Award for Excellence in Automotive Training"
Pennsylvania State Winner - AIPC/ASE "Award for Excellence in Automotive Training" 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006

Certifications, Approvals and Authorizations:
ASE/NATEF (National Automotive Technician’s Foundation) Certified Master Automobile Technical Training Program (Exton, PA)

ASE/NATEF Certified Master Auto Body Technician Training Program (Exton, PA)

Ford Motor Company Authorized Training Partner, Maintenance and Light Repair (MLR) Program

An official training school of the Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia (ADAGP)

Recognized for quality and excellence through training in collision repair by I-CAR, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, earning the Gold Class Professionals designation.

Member of the I-CAR Industry Training Alliance using I-CAR LIVE curriculum.

Mobile Air Conditioning Society (MACS) Certified Training

Honda Marine authorized training partner, Outboard Engine technical training (Warminster campus).

Mercury Marine authorized training partner for Mercury Outboard and MerCruiser (Warminster campus).

Pennsylvania State Emission and Safety Inspection Mechanic Authorized Training Certification Programs

Veterans Administration (VA) Education benefits

Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) Programs

Department of Labor & Industry for Trade Readjustment Act (TRA/TAA)

School, Staff and Faculty Memberships and Affiliations:
American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)
American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC)
Association of Career and Technical Education
Association of Diesel Specialists (ADS)
Automotive Engine Rebuilders Association (AERA)
Automotive Service Association (ASA)
Career College Association (CCA)
Collision Repair Instructors Network (CRIN)
Council of Advanced Automotive Trainers (CAAT)
National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE)
North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT)
PA Association of Career and Technical Education
PA Association of Private School Administrators (PAPSA)
PA Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (PASFAA)
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Service Technicians Society (STS)

 

FACILITY/EQUIPMENT-EXTON CAMPUS
The school’s facility encompasses 63,000 square feet, (42,000 sq ft main building, 21,000 sq ft Annex) including administrative offices, student lounge, computerized library/resource center, and specialized classrooms and shops, each dedicated to a particular area of instruction (e.g. Engine Repair, Brakes, etc.). Training is conducted in two separate buildings. The Main Building located at 114 Pickering Way consists of the Main Technical Center and the Computerized Diagnostic Center. The Annex is located one-eighth of a mile from the Main Building at 252 Welsh Pool Road.

The Main Technical Center houses specialized classrooms and associated shop areas. Each is designed to accommodate no more than 25 students to enhance the effectiveness of the hands-on training. These areas include Brakes, Manual Drive Train, Engine Repair, Automatic Transmissions, Auto Body/Collision Repair, Painting/Refinishing, Machine Shop/Engine Dynamometer Test Lab, Suspension/Steering and Diesel Engines

A separate Computerized Diagnostic Center includes classroom and shop areas for training in Electrical Systems, Electronics, Air Conditioning (climate control), and Engine Performance/On-Board Diagnostics. Each area accommodates a maximum of 25 students, except Engine Performance/On-Board Diagnostics which is designed for a maximum of 35 students.

The computerized library/resource center features 26 internet-ready computer work stations and an extensive CD-ROM reference library. The student lounge is equipped with hot and cold snack and beverage vending machines as well as microwave ovens.

Each classroom, shop and lab area is equipped with the appropriate major equipment (such as a chassis dynamometer, computerized wheel aligners, engine dynamometer, frame bench, paint booth, lifts, presses, welders, etc.) and specialized diagnostic equipment (scan tools, lab scopes, emissions testers, fuel injection testers, etc.) to adequately train students in each applicable technical field. ATC supplies all special tools, test equipment and appropriate demonstration units for the duration of the training programs. Students must supply their own basic hand tools. Sufficient equipment, training vehicles, and major components (such as engines, transmissions, etc.) are supplied to thoroughly train students on all domestic and major import makes of vehicles. By maintaining NATEF/ASE certification the school commits to offering the highest standard of up-to-date equipment specified by experts in the automotive, diesel and collision repair industries.

FACILITY/EQUIPMENT-WARMINSTER CAMPUS
ATC's Warminster Campus features a newly constructed 71,150 square-foot (s-f) building on 10.5 acres in the Franklin Corporate Park. Facilities include a student computer lab/library, thirteen classrooms, five specialized hands-on labs, administrative offices, an auditorium with student break area, an instructor lounge, a 22,000 s-f shop area with over thirty vehicle bays, a 10,000 s-f collision repair shop, and a 6,000 s-f marine service training area. The five specialized hands-on labs are equipped for training in gasoline & diesel engines (auto, truck and marine), automatic transmissions, drive train, electrical/electronic systems, and a machine shop featuring a Dynamic Test Systems 2000 horsepower engine dynamometer.

Shops and labs are outfitted with the specialized equipment required to service today's automobiles, light trucks and marine propulsion systems. In the automotive shop students will work on vehicles using equipment such as electric above-ground lifts, a Mustang chassis dynamometer, Hunter four-wheel alignment system and other current equipment and training aids. The collision repair department features major equipment such as a Global Finishing Solutions down draft paint booth, double prep station and paint mixing booth, and a hydraulic frame rack. Other modern equipment and special tools, including scanners, lab scopes and diagnostic instruments, emissions analyzers, measurement tools, welders, presses, vises and work benches are provided by ATC to train students in each applicable technical field. ATC also provides training vehicles, training aids and major components, such as engines, transmissions, axles, etc. in sufficient quantity for training in each course.

The marine service shops are equipped with eight large water tanks designed to test the operation and performance of Outboard and Inboard/Outboard (I/O) engines. Special tools are available to service and test air conditioning and refrigeration systems, electrical systems, transmissions and stern drive gear cases.

Scanners, lab scopes and diagnostic instruments are available for evaluating engine performance.

Classrooms are designed to accommodate a maximum of 25 students each. Workstations in the labs and shops are set up for students to work in small teams between two and four. The computer lab/library offers 30 internet ready Dell computer workstations and up-to-date diagnostic and related reference data software. The student lounge is furnished with tables and chairs, hot and cold snack and beverage vending machines and microwave ovens.

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