Greater Philadelphia Auto Technology Competition

Competition Background

THE PURPOSE

The Greater Philadelphia Auto Technology Competition (Tech Comp) builds awareness for the important role of auto technicians in today’s workforce and spotlights their specialized skills and professionalism. The role of auto technicians has changed with technology and so has Tech Comp since it started in 1993. Auto technicians of the 21st Century must have highly polished math and computer skills in addition to mechanical aptitude followed only by an eye for delivery detail. Here is a fun fact to illustrate this point: there are more computer systems in a base-model version of any new car today than the first rocket ship that sent man to the moon! Pretty interesting, right?

THE EVENT

The first of this two-part competition takes place in December, when dozens of high school seniors take a written exam. The exam covers the eight National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) areas of the automobile, which are Engine Repair, Engine Performance, Electrical/Electronic Systems, Brakes, Heating and Air Conditioning, Suspension and Steering, Manual Drive Train and Axles and Automatic Transmissions. The two highest scoring students from the top 12 schools qualify for the hands-on portion of the event. During the hands-on portion, participants perform a Multi-Point Inspection of a previously-bugged vehicle and test their knowledge at 10 workstations ranging from engine mechanical to communication skills. This 30-year old tradition continues thanks to the commitment and dedication of dozens of auto industry supporters.

WHY IT MATTERS

Making up 40% of all employment in a dealership, the service department is vital to the organization’s profitability. With the average age of today’s technician between 55 and 58, it’s estimated that half of technicians nationwide will retire in the next decade. The need for qualified technicians has never been greater. And more importantly, this competition is another way for our Foundation to give back to the community. For the 24 finalists, the experience can be life-changing as more than $1 million in scholarships, tools and prizes is annually awarded through Tech Comp!

2023 Tech Comp

The 2023 contest marked our 30th year of celebrating automotive guidance, education and competition. Two seniors from each qualifying high school competed for $1.1 million in scholarships, tools and prizes to continue their auto education. The finalists represented these schools:

Check out the EVENT PROGRAM for more details.

Congratulations to our 2023 Tech Comp Winners!

1st Place
Middle Bucks Institute of Technology – Patrick Gallelli & Conor McGlinchey
Instructor: Robert Schwarz
Sponsored by Keystone Volvo Cars

2nd Place
North Montco Technical Career Center – Robert Knab & Troy Siegfried
Instructor: Joseph Simes
Sponsored by JL Freed Honda

3rd Place
Western Montgomery Career & Tech Center – Jason Zatyczyc & Luke Sanders
Instructor: Donald Bray
Sponsored by Nissan 422 of Limerick