"With the current state of the economy, many shops are trying to figure out ways to make more money and are looking to training for answers," Anderson said. 

 
The "Back to School" event held at Lincoln Academy in Arvada was part of ASA national's Keep Educating Yourself & Staff (KEYS) initiative, a cooperative between ASA national and state chapters, Anderson said.

"They use their expertise to get us top-notch trainers," she said.  More than 75 employees and owners from nearby shops attended the KEYS event that ASA-CO hosts each year, she added.

George Witt, owner of George Witt Service in Lincoln, Neb., presented two courses, Advanced Pricing Strategies and Service Marketing for the Independent Service Facility, Anderson said, adding that they qualified for 6 Automotive Management Institute (AMI) credits each.

John Thornton, a mobile diagnostician with L1 certification in the Chicago area, taught Engine Mechanical Testing with Electronic Methods, she said.

ASA-CO has many more classes on tap for the remainder of the year and next January, Anderson said, adding that many shops requested training courses for new managers and service advisers, which is especially helpful during tough economic times. 

In addition, several advanced and intermediate technical classes are also planned, she said, adding that most of them are hosted in the Denver area.

The courses are:

* Oct. 7 Fuel Efficiency Diagnosis and Service Updates taught by Kevin McCartney.  This course, aimed at advanced to intermediate technicians, encompasses the latest updates that impacts fuel mileage on vehicles from 1985-2008, everything from O2 sensor biasing for nonstoichiometric A/F ratios and cooling to fuel-saving devices and EGR commands.  The cost is $150 for the first attendee and $99 for the second.

* Oct. 8 Modern Engine Lubrication, taught by Kevin McCartney, is a class that many technicians and shop owners want to repeat numerous times and claim that they learn more each and every time, Anderson said.   It can help shop owners avoid the increasing liability problems that more than 80 percent of independent shops face when they fail to meet the minimum OEM oil change requirements.  The cost is $150 for the first attendee and $99 for the second.

* Oct. 9 Secrets to Creating High Performance Teams, taught by Tiffany Dahlberg, is aimed at owners and top-level managers.  This course helps managers identify and correct issues before they become problems that include assessing barriers to team effectiveness, identifying attributes of high-performance teams, and using tools and techniques to build high-performance teams.  The cost is $100 a person per course, or $300 a person for all four classes in the Dahlberg series.

* Oct. 21 Automotive Training Institute' (ATI) Road Map To Success in A Bad Economy, taught by Chubby Frederick, delves into an eight-step sequential plan to get a repair shop on track in two to three years.  The cost for the course is $347 upfront or $173.50 after a rebate on completion.

* Oct. 22 Make More Money Without Getting Dirty, taught by Donny Seyfer covers how to use automakers' service information Web sites, and how to perform effective software updates on scan tools.

* Nov. 6 Motivation, Reward, and Recognition, taught by Tiffany Dahlberg, examines how to influence employees' attitudes and behavior at work in a positive and productive way.  The cost is $100 per person, $300 for all four classes in the Dahlberg series.

* Nov. 18 Clear Choice Tech Night, hosted and taught by Clear Choice, a recycler supplier of antifreeze, will review the current technologies and market potential for antifreeze.  This is a free event.

* Dec. 16  Effective Communication, taught by Tiffany Dahlberg, covers skills and techniques that will help you become a more effective communicator.  The cost is $100 per person, $300 for all four classes in the Dahlberg series.

*Jan. 13 Critical Thinking and Decision Making, taught by Tiffany Dahlberg, covers critical thinking that can help us evaluate data to make informed decisions and opinions.  The cost is $100 per person, $300 for all four classes in the Dahlberg series.

For class locations and times, visit www.asacolorado.org or contact Anderson at 303-202-5231 or via e-mail at sarah@asacolorado.org.