Highlands College specializes in Associate Degrees and Certificate programs that provide you with the job skills needed to enter or re-enter the workforce
Why the automotive industry?
There are tons of opportunities available in the rapidly expanding automotive industry. The automotive
industry is a much broader field than most people think. The automotive field needs technicians that are
good with computers, automotive scan tools, automotive lab scopes and electrical meters in addition to
people that are good with hand tools.
Why now?
There is an ever-growing shortage of automotive technicians nationwide. This is a growing concern that
is projected to get worse as older mechanics presently make up the majority of the workforce. When
searching for jobs, a person will find many posted positions in every city in the nation for qualified
technician/mechanic positions. Now is a great time to plan an automotive career, and the diversity of
the available positions out there opens the door for just about anyone to give it a shot.
The automotive industry is growing and the average age of the technicians employed in the field has
been gradually aging towards retirement. In a recent study it was calculated that 38% of the technicians
currently employed in the industry are 55 years old or older, 32% of the techs are 45-54 years old, 17%
of the techs are 35-44 years old, 11% of the techs are between 25-34 years old, and a mere 2% of the
techs are 18-24 years old. This market analysis suggests a huge shortage of qualified mechanics in the
near future.
Why Highlands College of Montana Tech
At Highlands we encourage our students to develop habits that will benefit them in the future. While
they are performing their research and lab projects, the students are required to create a folder system
to organize their research for future retrieval.
At Highlands College, we pair students with willing mentors in a variety of repair shops in addition to the
vast amount of experience and knowledge that our instructors have to offer. As part of the curriculum
requirement during the third and fourth semesters, students will experience controlled
