Since 2013, Lincoln Tech‘s Grand Prairie, Texas campus has served as a training center for BMW STEP – the Service Technician Education Program. Lincoln Educational Services Corporation recently announced that BMW North America has approved a three-year extension for the campus to continue offering the program to students looking to build careers in the automotive industry. The new agreement also includes the addition of the MINI STEP program to the Grand Prairie campus offering.
Lincoln Tech students who are accepted into STEP receive training designed specifically for careers with BMW. The manufacturer, in turn, has a direct line to new technicians trained to repair and maintain their iconic line of automobiles.
“The extension of our partnership with BMW reaffirms the quality of our programs and our students,” says Lincoln’s President and CEO Scott Shaw. “The BMW STEP program is an example of Lincoln Tech’s commitment to the success of our graduates and our industry partners: we are constantly striving to innovate and create programs to help students not only build skills, but to give them advanced standing with employers looking to build the strongest teams. In addition, bringing MINI STEP to Lincoln Tech opens yet another door to new career paths for our graduates, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to offer this program at our campus as well.”
BMW STEP provides students in Lincoln Tech’s Automotive Technology program the opportunity to receive the same training BMW Master Technicians undergo. While, on average, a newly hired BMW technician requires between 3-5 years to complete STEP training, Lincoln Tech students can receive the same training in just 1-2 years.
To qualify for STEP, candidates must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better, hold an excellent driving record and have at least a 95% attendance record. With the assistance of Lincoln’s Career Services team, graduates can find themselves in the fast lane to a rewarding, exciting career with one of the world’s leading automotive manufacturers.
“We’re proud of this continued support from BMW North America, and to be able to serve our students as well as the automotive industry,” says Steve Buchenot, Lincoln Tech’s Group President. “Lincoln and BMW share a demonstrated commitment to quality education and career training, and have done so for many years.”
The training facility that houses the BMW STEP program at Lincoln Tech functions as a “school-within-a-school.” The facility features nearly 10,000 square feet of dedicated classroom and auto lab space, BMW repair and maintenance equipment such as the KDS II Wheel Alignment System and the GSP97BMW Road Force Measurement System, and late model BMWs. Vehicles currently used in training include a new 7 series model, a 435i, and an M235i. MINI models will also be provided going forward.
