The goal of the PTAP, which is Porsche Cars North America’s own apprenticeship program, is to educate and prepare both men and women to work as Porsche dealer technicians.
The PCNA chooses UTI students who exhibit the academic achievement, enthusiasm, and aptitude to become a Porsche mechanic, mostly in conjunction with Universal Technical Institute (UTI).
Apprentice level technicians who have graduated from or are about to graduate from a nearby automotive technical school and are sponsored by an approved Porsche dealer may also be eligible for admission to the PTAP program.
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Apprenticeship Program for Porsche Technicians Marks 20 Years
Since 1999, more than 700 American technicians have graduated from the Porsche Technology Apprenticeship Program (PTAP), a crucial source for superior customer care.
Georgia’s Atlanta. Porsche owners anticipate a level of service equal to that of their vehicle. A crucial element of the connection shifts behind the scenes to the service bay after the keys are exchanged, but it all begins in the showroom. Here, highly qualified specialists labor to make sure the car lives up to its crest’s promise.
There are more than 1,100 Porsche technicians working in 191 dealerships nationwide. The Porsche Technology Apprenticeship Program (PTAP), which will mark its 20th anniversary tomorrow, August 9, has graduated more than one third of its participants. What does it take to become a Porsche technician given that these men and women are the best in their industry?
Only the best applicants are taken into consideration, and the majority of PTAP hopefuls have already finished the Automotive Technology program at the Universal Technical Institute. The top 12 applicants are chosen to participate in the 23-week program, which consists of 16 core courses and 38 web-based courses, after undergoing a selection procedure that includes a psychological evaluation, a mechanical knowledge test, and an in-person interview. Along with more recent, high-tech skills like electrical system repair, traditional practical knowledge such as engine or brake maintenance is also taught.
President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), Klaus Zellmer: “Our customers’ experiences and our sports cars speak for themselves. We will maintain our leadership position and continue to set the bar higher thanks in large part to the Porsche Technology Apprenticeship Program.”
In parallel with the Stuttgart-based manufacturer’s model line-up increasing from charismatic combustion engines to strong hybrids and soon the fully electric Taycan, PCNA and dealerships engage in technician training, and the necessary skill set for technicians has risen proportionately. The goal of PTAP is to lay a foundation of brand devotion and knowledge that will assist service customers for years to come in a sector where employee turnover is higher.
A typical PTAP day starts at 7:00 a.m. in one of three locations: Easton, PA, Eastvale, CA, or the PCNA headquarters in Atlanta, GA. Students are taught by instructors who are also Porsche Master Level Technicians. Even though the classroom workshop is modeled after a spotless dealership, an extracurricular automotive job is a requirement.
The need for automotive technicians is outpacing supply. By 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor expects the industry will add over 46,000 new employment. All PTAP graduates, approximately 72 people per year, begin working at Porsche dealerships where they can earn bronze, silver, or gold certifications. Additionally, a large number of PTAP graduates have joined PCNA in managerial, technical support, and teacher roles. On August 16, Atlanta will see the graduation of the 62nd graduating class.
The 2019 J.D. Power Customer Service Index recently ranked Porsche first.
Levels of Porsche Technician Certification
The certification comes in three different grades: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. Within their first year of employment, students can earn their bronze certification. The only requirement to become a Bronze level technician is to pass a written test. A written test and a practical test are required to get Silver level. Gold includes both a written and practical test. With only about 200 certified Porsche automobile technicians in the US and about 700 across the world, gold certification is challenging to get. This top ranking requires the following from students:
- a minimum of five years of expertise servicing and analyzing Porsche automobiles
- Bronze and Silver certificates already earned
- Every year, continuing education
- the certification test being passed
Gaining Gold accreditation has advantages, one of which is the ability to work on specific models, such the Carrera GT.
A Porsche Training Center serves as the exclusive testing location. Candidates are given a set amount of time to assess up to four distinct challenges while compiling all the data required to respond to these four questions. Testing can take up to an hour for each issue, and you must provide all the resources and information necessary to solve the issues.
Here are some tips for becoming a top Porsche mechanic.
Have you ever wondered how some of the best automobile technicians in the world rose to the top? It’s a reasonable question, especially since that technology in the automotive sector is developing more quickly than ever. There is a high demand for qualified technicians; the U.S. Department of Labor estimates that by 2026, there will be a need to fill about 46,000 additional positions in the industry.
One automaker in particular, Porsche, is well-positioned to keep supplying the technician pipeline. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Porsche Technician Apprenticeship Program (PTAP), which since its inception has helped over 700 technicians enter the Porsche workforce. More than a third of the company’s 1,100 technicians—who are scattered throughout 191 U.S. dealerships—graduated from the PTAP.
Are you considering such a career? The majority of candidates have already finished the Automotive Technology program at Universal Technical Institute, according to Porsche, who claims that the school’s criteria are excellent. Porsche chooses just 12 students for each new PTAP class out of the many, many applicants. Each candidate goes through a rigorous interview process that includes a psychological evaluation, a test of their technical expertise, and a personal interview.
However, if you are accepted into the program, Porsche Master Level Technicians in Easton, Pennsylvania, Eastvale, California, and Atlanta, Georgia, will be your instructors. There are 16 core courses and 38 online courses in the full program, which lasts 23 weeks to complete. At order to simulate working in a real Porsche dealership, students also gain hands-on experience fixing engines, brakes, and electrical systems. They must also work in the automobile industry outside of the curriculum.
Students who complete the program start working at Porsche dealerships all around the country, where they can advance up the certification ladder to earn bronze, silver, and gold certifications. Some go on to become professors, while others work in administration and technical assistance.
A program for apprentices in Porsche technology
Additionally, even if previous mechanic knowledge will be beneficial, it’s crucial to keep in mind that Porsche didn’t become the industry leader in the automotive industry by producing cars in the same way that everyone else did. Having experience working on cars is crucial, but getting into the PTAP will give you the best chance of getting technical jobs with a focus on Porsches (Porsche Technology Apprenticeship Program).
Porsche has collaborated with the Universal Technical Institute (UTI) to develop a training program aimed at instructing mechanics how to maintain their particular automobiles, similar to many other automakers from across the world.
Only serious candidates may apply. Only 12 students are accepted into a class for the full year if you are eligible for PTAP training. That ought to demonstrate the importance Porsche places on its dealership-certified programs. They all pay for your training in fact because they want to ensure that their clients can locate mechanics who are expert in their field.
Students must travel to one of the company’s two PCNA (Porsche Cars North America) training facilities in Easton, Pennsylvania, or Atlanta, Georgia, to enroll. As previously noted, there will only be 12 of you in each session, which is one of the greatest ratios available in the sector.
You all have first-hand experience with all of Porsche’s most well-known models during your training. This comprises:
- Boxster
- 911
- Cayman
- Panamera
- Cayenne
Students receive instruction in modern, recent, and historic Porsche models. Graduation requires the ability to comprehend how these distinct models operate and diagnose their issues.
You all graduate from the program with up to 96 certificates for working on Porsche automobiles.
Any mechanic can work on a Porsche, right?
Many people believe that the brand’s dealership is the finest location to go if you want your automobile to receive top-notch maintenance. Particularly with Porsche, not just any mechanic can work on your vehicle. Because most of their cars have mid-engines, unique tools are needed, along with some specialist knowledge to complete the work swiftly and effectively.
A Porsche requires a little bit more general maintenance than a typical oil change. Even changing the oil in most European cars involves specialized equipment, including filters and occasionally unique types of oil that your typical mechanic might not have on hand. Due to this, many people choose to merely go to their neighborhood dealership.
How challenging is it to work at Porsche?
50% of job candidates say they had a great interview experience at Porsche Cars North America. For their job interviews at Porsche Cars North America, candidates rate the level of difficulty on average at 2.7 out of 5 (where 5 is the highest level of difficulty).
Can you perform your own Porsche repairs?
What has to be corrected and the technicians you select to do those repairs will determine how much your repairs will cost. Due to their high-performance engineering and component manufacturing volume, Porsche repair services can be more expensive than those for other car brands. Because of the car you drive, other auto repair shops could try to extort more money from you, but not at Trafton’s.
You might be able to handle simple repairs on your own if you are familiar with the mechanics of your car. However, it is always preferable to have a qualified expert work on your Porsche, especially for more challenging problems.
What is it like to work for Porsche?
Porsche continually encourages employee growth since they hold the greatest potential for a successful business. Offering managers and employees specialized growth opportunities is part of Porsche’s staff development strategy. It is based on each person’s needs and different developmental phases.
How much money do California Porsche mechanics make?
How much money does a service technician make at the California Porsche Audi Burlingame? California has a 201% higher average Porsche Audi Burlingame Service Technician salary than the rest of the country, at around $150,000 annually.
Do Porsche staff members receive a Porsche?
Working full-time in the US does not always equate to making even a decent salary. However, things are very different in Germany.
And there, Porsche is offering a completely new level of comfortably paid employment; according to The Drive, each and every one of the company’s 21,000 employees will receive a substantial EUR9,111 incentive. This is roughly $9,825.
Why? According to a release, the premium carmaker achieved record sales last year with $24 billion in revenue, a 4% rise. Porsche chose to thank its many employees rather than just provide the extra money to the top of the corporate food chain.
Each bonus is worth exactly EUR9,111, a nod to the Porsche 911. Everyone will receive that additional compensation, including industrial workers, janitors, senior personnel, engineers, cafeteria staff, and others.
Discuss #careergoals. It would be lovely to see that kind of charity among the wealthy American corporations.
Oliver Blume, chairman of the executive board of Porsche AG, stated in a statement that 2016 was “an interesting, emotional, and, above all, tremendously successful year for Porsche.” “Our staff’s knowledge and enthusiasm lay the groundwork for Porsche’s successful future.”
Of course, there are other people as well as the business itself to thank for such a kind gift. Germany’s labor laws differ greatly from those in the United States. Germany now has more powerful unions and labor representation at the highest levels of huge corporations.
Employees have the chance to participate in major corporate decisions through organizations known as “works councils.” They choose a labor representative to carry out this. And there’s a structure, where executives decide on labor policy behind closed doors, that just doesn’t exist in the United States.
The Worldwide Guide to Trade Unions and Works Councils, a publication of Cornell University, explains that a representative of the so-called works council bargains with the employer over issues like pay and working conditions. This person has the ability to influence workplace policies that are “typically subject to the employer’s right of direction.”
In the case of Porsche, a works council representative went through difficult negotiations to reach that amazing incentive. According to Porsche’s Group Works Council chair Uwe Huck, “negotiating a bonus is never simple.” The decision-making process was particularly challenging this time, though.
If you want an extra $10K in your next paycheck, it appears you may have to relocate to Germany.