Dallas College Automotive Technology Programs Provide a Direct Pipeline to Promising Careers With North Texas Dealerships

At Automotive Expos, like this one held at Dallas College Brookhaven Campus, current and prospective students can meet potential employers and learn more about automotive technology programs and OEM partnerships.

Oct. 26, 2026

Dallas College Automotive Technology programs are well regarded in North Texas for training top-notch automotive technicians and guiding them to rewarding careers that meet regional workforce needs.

And TechForce Foundation — a national nonprofit dedicated to technician career exploration, scholarships and workforce development — has recognized Dallas College as No. 1 nationwide in automotive technician completions. Its 2026 “Supply, Demand & Opportunity: Technician Workforce Report” also ranked Dallas College as second in collision technician completions nationwide.

“If you want to get into automotive mechanics, this is the pipeline to going faster and learning more,” said Joey Patterson, service director at Platinum Chevrolet in Terrell, “Dallas College sets them up for success. They give them the proper tools to do the job and put them in good work environments.”

In addition to its general automotive training, Dallas College’s dealership sponsored original equipment manufacturer (OEM) programs facilitate a bridge to jobs with Ford, GM, Honda and Toyota, explained Ron Luellen, Automotive Technology department chair at Dallas College. The college also maintains smaller partnerships with Kia, Mazda, Nissan and Subaru.

Through the OEM partnerships, Dallas College provides instruction and a degree pathway, while the automotive manufacturers provide brand-specific curricula,  diagnostic tools and on-the-job training opportunities.

“We are at max capacity for the most part, so we are looking at expanding to additional OEM facilities,” Luellen said.

Investing in the Next Generation

Patterson said he relies on Dallas College’s GM Automotive Service Educational Program (ASEP) for new employees.

Joey Patterson, Service Director at Platinum Chevrolet “The average age of a technician is around 44 years old,” he said. “If we don’t invest in the next generation, we are going to run out of technicians in five to seven years.” More than 25% of Patterson’s current technicians have come from Dallas College.

“They bring a wealth of knowledge to the dealership, and we turn them into world-class technicians,” Patterson said. “They are trained people who enjoy what they are doing. Dallas College teaches them more than just auto mechanics — they teach them about life situations that they are going to face. It’s not all nuts and bolts!”

He described how Dallas College instructors such as Tim Hahnl and Samantha Candler really care and push students to succeed.  

Hahnl said they see a wide range of students in the program, from those who started in an automotive program in high school to adults looking for a career change to current mechanics wanting to advance in the field.

Those who complete their degrees at Dallas College can expect to eventually earn great wages: $50,000 to $80,000 and more, according to Luellen. “A master tech with GM or Ford may make well north of $100,000.”

“It’s not uncommon to see a graduate from Dallas College, within two or three years, making well over six figures,” Hahnl said.

Patterson collaborates closely with the Dallas College instructors. The college sends him applicants for the co-op program, and he sometimes even sponsors their tuition. “We know when they spend two years there, they come out 80% or better trained in General Motors,” he said.

All students in the automotive programs are required to be working in the field, which is Developing synergy is important to the Automotive Technology program. a win for both students and employers. The students typically go to school in the mornings (7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.), three days a week, and spend alternate days and afternoons working in the shop, where they are teamed up with trained technicians for on-the-job training.

Patterson is proud to say that two of his current main shop apprentices — both 2025 Dallas College graduates — went above and beyond and passed a rigorous set of tests and hands-on evaluations to achieve Master ASE Certification, along with their GM Certifications. John Vasquez and Melvin Ancelmo graduated with honors.

John Vasquez Vasquez described his start at Dallas College, after being involved in a high school automotive program. “I didn’t know what to expect and I didn’t know what I wanted to do. The ASEP program let me learn from scratch. I learned from hands-on training in school and after school,” said Vasquez, whose goal is to one day be a service director.

Vasquez said Dallas College went the extra mile for them by finding grants and opportunities. An Apprenticeship Building America Grant, managed by Dallas College Office of Experiential Learning, provided tuition and 141 Snap-on toolboxes (worth approximately $500,000) to 100 automotive students.

Ancelmo’s story is similar. “I started at Dallas College right after high school,” he said. “I Melvin Ancelmo didn’t know what I wanted to be, so I was in a general program at first. I saw there are a lot of possibilities with the ASEP program to become a world-class technician and that’s the goal.”

Vasquez and Ancelmo pushed each other toward Master ASE Certification. “I heard that Melvin was passing the tests, and I thought, if he can do it, I can do it too,” said Vasquez.

That kind of synergy is exactly what Luellen hopes to create in his students. “We encourage cohorts,” he said. “According to statistics, when they go through this together, there’s a better likelihood of them finishing.”

Patterson said he sees a big advantage to hiring someone trained at Dallas College compared with hiring someone off the street who may leave after a year or two.

“Together, we make it a good environment and take care of them,” he said. “We’re building a foundation for the future.”

Current students interested in automotive programs should meet with their success coach. Prospective students should submit a request for information.

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