On May 31, U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta and U.S. Representative Virginia Foxx visited Forsyth Tech to learn more about the Toyota Technician Training and Education Network (T-TEN) program at the Transportation Technology Center. Representatives from Toyota and Forsyth Tech leaders discussed the partnership, which lets students graduate in two years with Toyota and Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) industry certifications along with job placement opportunities. “We are pleased that U.S. Secretary Alexander Acosta and U.S. Representative Virginia Foxx are placing emphasis on public and private partnerships,” said Rose H. Bauss, general manager of service support for Toyota Motor North America. “We hope our partnership will serve as a model for industry.” Toyota T-TEN Program Coordinator David Allgood provided a tour of the Transportation Technology Center. Allgood also introduced current students, and graduates of the Automotive Systems Technology program who now work at Toyota and Lexus dealerships. Acosta and Foxx commended the students and graduates for their commitment to education, and their decision to employ their skills and talents in a rewarding career. “Students here develop in-demand skills and earn certification through classroom education and paid internships that prepare them for good, family-sustaining jobs,” Acosta said. Forsyth Tech is the only college in the Carolinas and one of only 36 centers across the United States to receive Toyota T-TEN Certification for its Automotive Systems Technology program. With 68 Toyota and Lexus dealers supporting the Toyota T-TEN in North and South Carolina, Forsyth Tech has placed 165 students in Toyota and Lexus dealerships over the past five years.
