One of NAFA's long-standing goals for its Certified Automotive Fleet Manager (CAFM) program was to have fleet training ultimately taught at universities and offered for college credit. Two years ago, a partnership with Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich., was announced and set the plan in motion.
On April 24, NAFA Fleet Management Association announced Ranken Technical College in St. Louis, Mo., has become the second university to offer college credits for the CAFM program. The announcement was made at a press conference during NAFA's 2010 Institute & Expo in Detroit.
"It was always NAFA's belief that offering CAFM training in colleges would dramatically change the future of the industry," explained NAFA President Christopher Amos, CAFM. "For decades, the majority of fleet managers entered the profession through vehicle maintenance career paths or via careers in asset or financial management. Very few new college graduates were even aware of this rewarding profession, and, thus, very few became fleet managers early in their careers. NAFA recognized this and began a plan to partner with schools of higher learning in order to attract talented graduates into the field and groom the next generation of fleet managers."
Ranken Technical College has been providing skilled labor through hands-on, state-of-the-art training in a variety of technical disciplines since 1907. The College prepares students for successful careers in their chosen technical fields by placing emphasis on technical training, general education, and professionalism. Ranken currently offers Associate of Technology and Science degrees in five core divisions – Automotive, Construction, Electrical, Information Technology, and Manufacturing; as well as Bachelor of Science degrees in Architectural Technology and Applied Management. The College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
"In this partnership, the College will provide the skill set training from business professionals while students will apply this training in the workforce. We will provide two paths, the first is a set of four, eight-week college credit courses preparing students to manage fleets, and the second is college credit for CAFS and/or CAFM certification. With these two course offerings, we are excited to open up the field of fleet management to our students, and give them yet another option for fulfilling careers in the automotive field. We look forward to a long-standing partnership with NAFA," said John Wood, Ranken's Vice President of Student Success.
For more information on NAFA's CAFM program, please visit http://www.nafa.org/certification