CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – A new school to help accelerate education and a career path for automotive technicians has begun and was celebrated Tuesday at the Clarksville campus of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) on International Boulevard.

The program is known as Automotive Technician Development Training or ATDT. Before ATDT, it generally would take from one to two years for a technician to receive a higher education. This first class with eight student-technicians, has been stepped up into just four months.

Opening day for the first class of student-technicians for the Automotive Technician Development Training (ATDT) program at TCAT, the Tennessee College of Applied Technology on Apr. 4, 2023. (Lee Erwin)
Opening day for the first class of student-technicians for the Automotive Technician Development Training (ATDT) program at TCAT, the Tennessee College of Applied Technology on Apr. 4, 2023. (Lee Erwin)
Opening day for the first class of student-technicians for the Automotive Technician Development Training (ATDT) program at TCAT, the Tennessee College of Applied Technology on Apr. 4, 2023. (Lee Erwin)
Opening day for the first class of student-technicians for the Automotive Technician Development Training (ATDT) program at TCAT, the Tennessee College of Applied Technology on Apr. 4, 2023. (Lee Erwin)
Opening day for the first class of student-technicians for the Automotive Technician Development Training (ATDT) program at TCAT, the Tennessee College of Applied Technology on Apr. 4, 2023. (Lee Erwin)
Casey Jenkins speaks to the first class of student- technicians for the Automotive Technician Development Training (ATDT) program at TCAT, the Tennessee College of Applied Technology on Apr. 4, 2023. (Lee Erwin)
Opening day for the first class of student-technicians for the Automotive Technician Development Training (ATDT) program at TCAT, the Tennessee College of Applied Technology on Apr. 4, 2023. (Lee Erwin)
Opening day for the first class of student-technicians for the Automotive Technician Development Training (ATDT) program at TCAT the Tennessee College of Applied Technology on Apr. 4, 2023. (Lee Erwin)
Opening day for the first class of student-technicians for the Automotive Technician Development Training (ATDT) program at TCAT, the Tennessee College of Applied Technology on Apr. 4, 2023. (Lee Erwin)
Opening day for the first class of student-technicians for the Automotive Technician Development Training (ATDT) program at TCAT, the Tennessee College of Applied Technology on Apr. 4, 2023. (Lee Erwin)

Through this special industry class at TCAT, not only will the technicians have accelerated learning, but will also complete the needed online courses and obtain the necessary certifications. At the end of the course, each technician will receive a toolbox and tools.

Casey Jenkins, owner of Jenkins & Wynne Ford Lincoln Honda, said the school should help address a large deficit of such workers in the industry for advanced skilled technicians in the field.