Level Up Your Teaching Skills At NACAT Annual Conference
By Doug Kaufman
Doug Kaufman has been with Babcox Media since 1987 serving in a variety of editorial and publishing roles and titles. He is currently editorial director of Brake & Front End, ImportCar, Tomorrow's Technician and Underhood Service. Doug has a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Bowling Green State University and remains a committed MAC enthusiast.
The North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT) is dedicated to empowering automotive instructors. As President Drew Barnes puts it, “Really, our mission is simple. We are automotive teachers for automotive teachers.” This means providing the ongoing training and resources instructors need to stay current and excel in their roles.
One of these resources, the NACAT Conference, is an annual event uniting automotive educators and professionals from North America. It offers networking, workshops, seminars, and hands-on training, promoting excellence and collaboration in automotive education. This year it will be held June 9-12 at the MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit, MI.
In this episode of the T2iQ podcast, Tomorrow’s Technician’s editor, Doug Kaufman, talks about NACAT’s mission and the conference’s value with Barnes, who is also an automotive instructor at Vale High School in Vale, Oregon; instructor Krystal Roherty, automotive instructor at Fredericton High School in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada; and Heather Sebben, NACAT’s business manager.
For Roherty, a first-time attendee at last year’s conference, the experience was transformative. “I was blown away with the number of presenters that were there and the options that were there for teachers to explore and update skills,” she recalls. She emphasizes the value of connecting with peers and learning from their experiences, highlighting the support available for teachers at all career stages.
NACAT offers a wealth of resources beyond just the annual conference. These include “update training and teaching technique training,” says Barnes, covering everything from classroom strategies to the latest advancements in automotive technology, like high-voltage electric vehicles. They also offer online training sessions, lesson plans, and mentor roundtables.
Heather Sebben points out the breadth of resources available, by the organization, stressing that the conference offers more than just training sessions. It provides invaluable networking and collaboration opportunities. The Detroit event will feature keynote speakers from General Motors, a Ford Rouge Factory tour, and the ever-popular valve cover races – all alongside a range of workshops covering the latest automotive advancements.
Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with fellow instructors, learn from leading experts, and elevate your teaching. Visit NACAT to learn more and register for the Detroit conference.
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