5 Minutes With George Arrants of the ASE Education Foundation
At most Goodguys National events during the spring and fall, we host a Careers in Hot Rodding day in association with the ASE Education Foundation and WyoTech. The program brings in 150 area high school students enrolled in automotive classes. George Arrants, the vice president of the ASE Education Foundation, plays a key role in the program’s success. The ASE Foundation works to evaluate high school and post-secondary automotive technology programs, helping them gain national accreditation through ASE – all to help build rewarding careers for students.
George is a hot rodder to the core and started buying, fixing, then flipping muscle cars after high school. His experience as an instructor in high school and college provided insight into the dynamics between the classroom and industry demands. This experience is key to his role in fostering nationwide initiatives to bridge the gap between the industry and automotive education along with promoting the variety of career opportunities in the automotive repair industry – including the hot rod field.
It only takes a minute talking with George to recognize his passion for promoting automotive education and careers. “I get to change the lives of people I’ll never meet – and get paid doing it,” he explained. Read on to learn more.
GG: How did you get your start in the automotive industry? And what was your path to where you’re at today?
George Arrants: I didn’t take automotive classes in high school, but a friend did, and I started tinkering on cars with him and it just kept rolling from there. I started buying, fixing, and flipping muscle cars in about 1976, and became a mechanic at a two-bay shop doing repairs and reading a lot of Chilton manuals. I worked in a few dealerships and finally took a job teaching at a local high school and eventually into a community college, and then moved into roles promoting automotive education, directing students and assisting schools through the accreditation process for automotive trades.
GG: You’ve been involved in automotive trade education and promoting it as a career opportunity for most of your career – what has driven you this direction?
Arrants: Working as a teacher in high school and in community college introduced me to understanding what the students, and the school programs, needed to succeed and grow. Not everyone is destined for a four-year degree and there are great opportunities at the trades level, especially automotive repair.
GG: Over the years, what have been the biggest changes in the automotive repair industry – and what are the biggest challenges the next generation will face?
Arrants: Technology is the answer you’ll hear most, but to me it’s the fact that the locally owned, mom-and-pop repair shops are going away. Major companies are taking over where employees are treated like numbers. For entry level technicians, this is tough because there are no mentors to learn from, and the kids just get chewed up and worn down. On average, we lose 41-percent of new workers in the first two years. However, the hot rod industry is smaller with specialized shops that have a more family like atmosphere that will help these new workers grow and learn.
GG: Has automotive trade school enrollment grown in the last few years?
Arrants: Yes, a huge amount. In fact, most of our accredited programs are at capacity. Blue collar trades are growing. An interesting side note is that we’re seeing more women enroll. In fact, WyoTech has an 11-percent female enrollment.
GG: You help bring tech students to Goodguys events for Careers in Hot Rodding to discover opportunities in the hot rod market. What are your biggest takeaways from these “field days?”
Arrants: We average about 150 students at each event, and it really opens their eyes to even more opportunities available to them in the automotive industry. Being able to hear firsthand from top builders, to speak with them, and of course to check out all the cool cars shows these students that there are other opportunities available where they can use their automotive education and skills. The best thing is when the students go to the builder’s booth and ask more questions after the seminar.
GG: What percentage of students have any experience with hot rods or vintage cars before attending a Careers in Hot Rodding day?
Arrants: It is less than 10-percent. Unless you have family or close friends involved with hot rodding, it’s tough to find out and learn about that side of the industry.
GG: Are there any specific success stories with students that you’ve seen at Careers in Hot Rodding days at Goodguys events?
Arrants: I recently had toured GAP Industries, as they’re not too far from me, and Tim Palazzolo mentioned needing help. Not long after that visit, I heard of a student in Texas looking for a position in the hot rod side of the industry. A connection was made and Tim hired him. There have also been cases with Dean Livermore at Hot Rods by Dean who helped a student land a job at a local shop. Other builders, Goolsby Customs, Dutchboys, and more like and support the program.
GG: Besides programs like Careers in Hot Rodding, what are other ways enthusiasts can help get young people interested in hot rodding and the trades?
Arrants: It is really simple: Get involved. It is a national concern with a local solution. If you’re a repair shop or hot rod builder, sign up to be a speaker at the school or invite a small group of students to your facility. It’s almost like a soft interview as the students interact with your team and learn who is really interested. Be sure to let the students see that there are opportunities in social media, shop management, 3D design and printing too. In short, create your own talent pipeline locally.
GG: Any hot rods in your garage?
Arrants: Oh, there are a few! A low-mileage ’63 C10 and a ’32 Ford Milner-style coupe are the cruisers right now. I’m working on a ’34 Chevy sedan for my wife, another very low mile barn-find. There’s a few more in the works including a ’39 Ford, ’67 Chevy II, and ’63 Chrysler 300K. No shortage of projects!
