PAGE 22, Wffl RESS;%IWNESDA, 3OU-ffl,'%W I ADVERTISEMENT I HndaService -Technician receives award With advanced technology and higher atitomotive standards being set at a rapid pace, today's Service Technician has to be in tune with the times to keep your vehicle on the road. It is with this in mind that Whitby-Oshawa Honda congratulates Service Teclinician Gord, Wood who recently won second place o verail in Honda Canada's National Qualitech Challenge. This is a competition, for Honda Technicians from. ail across Canada so Gord's award is an extremely significant achievement. To *receive the award competitors had to write a xnonthly test and have an extremely high percentage on their final exam. Achieving these high standards is a group commitment to the consumer froin the entire staff at Whitby-Oshawa Honda that they wiIl be at their highest level te help serve customer's needs. Remedi es are sought for auto meehanie shortage By Trudie Zavadovics Local auto dealers gathered recently te consider remedies for the increasing shortage of skilled auto mechanics. Bill Nurse,- president of the Toronto' Automotive Dealers' Association, and Ian Brown chairman of the Durhamn Board of Education, were among speak- ers at the Durham Aute Dealers' Symposium held at Cullen Gar- dens on Sept. 12. »"This problemn hasn't appeared overni*ght,» said Nurse. nfa c t, thereh ave been auto mechamic shortages since 1987. "To keep pace with the dealer requirements, a 'two per cent annual growth in the number of mechanics available ia required. By 1995, about 10 per cent more niechanics will be needed. "Compounding this. problem is that it is forecasted that by next year there will be 15,633,000 cars on the road in Canada, an increase of almost two-and-a- haif-million since 1981. "In Durhamn Region there were, at survey time, 4.955 licen- ced mechanics. However, of that total, only haif work on the bench in our service de art- ments. Furthermore, only 2.8 per cent of licenced mechanics are unemployed." To remedy the situation, the Durham Board of Education bas established a prograin, consis- tent with efforts -inaà de by- the proinoe, to enhancýe the profes- sional and technical sIili base of the workforce. "Part of the auto course invol- ved the placement of students, both men and women, in, varlous dealerships throughout the Nurse who hired two students fromn the programn, encouraged other dealers te do the sanie. 'TMis linkage between educa- tion and business is extremely important," said Brown, who pointed out the effectiyeness of the school workplace apýprenitioe- ship program. -Under the pro- gram, schools arrange an agree- ment between a student who wants te learn a skilled trade and an employer who will pro- vide the training. An integrated prograni allows students te work as apprentioes, and at the same time complete high school. Emýployers are responsible for providting studentýs with a co- operative education placement related te their chosen trade. The apprentioeship prograrn is desinef te alleviate a future skilled labor shortage and at the same tme provide students with the basic training needed in their chosen fields. An awards banquet was held foilowing the Honda national technician competition to recognize winners and participants. Honda executives and representatives of the company's technlcal department attended. For his achievement., Gord Wood recelved a cash award, commemooetive plaque and an exclusive Formula One watch. Shown from left are Kallm Ansar, senior vice president of parts and serice for Honda Canada Inc., Kojil Kadowaki,. president of Honda Canada mnc.., Gord Wood.. and Marcel Rainville, president of the Dealer Council. Whitby-Oshawa Honda 1110 Dundas St. E., Whitby 666-1772 T h r s &0 . 0 a S . . 0 Charge I. SS .. CCES* RiES* -SER*i* [Full Service= Specials Exp: Nov. 30 199011 Tune ùp Specials 4 Cyl. from $38.OOLab. 6 Cyl. from $58.OOLab. 8 Cyl. from $78.OOLab. .Plus Parts Oil & Filter Change with lune-up LUBE OUL & FILTER and 10 Point Check' Up to 4 litres 1 0W30 w'ith' Bosch oul filter.$19 If we servi9ceyua r in$219910 ae % O '?-' kFor191I oFOR4S 41à 19 MONTHS. 1990 GERMAN ENGINEERED OPTIMA i.6L T.B.I. Engine e Child-Proof Lock Doors * AM/FM Stereo Cassette -, Power Steering a Power Brakes For exampla M.S.R.P. of 1990 Optima LS.including freight is $1 1,520. Down payment of $2,000. amount to be finanoed over 48 months is $9,520. Monthly payment is $218.80. Cost of borrowing at 4.9% is $982.40. See Passport Oshawa-Whitby for details. O.A.C. Tax extra. -T-