National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence
In the United States, there does not exist a government licensing program for automotive service professionals, as we have here in Canada. This has led to lower quality automotive service, and a more negative view of the industry than in Canada, where automotive service technicians are generally well respected. The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence is a non-profit organization that has been working to improve the quality of the United States automotive repair industry by testing and certifying the most skilled individuals.
An automotive service technician can become ASE Certified in 9 different fields including heating & air conditioning; brake systems; steering & suspension; etc. Technicians who become certified in all nine areas receive their Master Technician certification. Here in Canada, ASE certification is not required, but offers another way for a technician to demonstrate their passion and commitment to their craft. Because ASE certified technicians must be re-tested every five years, and because the ASE tests are a lot more current than our government tests, this certification is certainly still worth something!
Along with being a Red Seal Journeyman Automotive Service Technician, our owner Chris is also an ASE Certified Master Technician.