Exemplary Program Draws Honda PACT Conference to Campus

Published 07.11.2012

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Stephen C. Roberts, industry education coordinator at American Honda Motor Co. Inc., welcomes attendees to the Thompson Professional Development Center and previews the week ahead.Instructor Charles F. Probst (in foreground) conducts a demonstration of fuel and emission training, a springboard for discussion of establishing capstone activities for graduating students.Randy Bridgewater, a training center coordinator for American Honda (in white shirt), leads a session in the Parkes Automotive Technology Center.A conference attendee tests a sample during a lab comparison of traditional vs. ethanol-based fuels.Instructors and administrators from 30 colleges with Honda programs convened on campus this week for the 2012 National PACT Conference, getting a firsthand look at what makes Penn College one of American Honda Motor Co. Inc.'s top Professional Automotive Career Training sites in the United States. Mirroring the college's "degrees that work," the conference agenda featured a mix of classroom instruction and hands-on learning as Honda attempts to build upon successful models to make its curriculum more uniform among institutions nationwide. During last July's conference at Shoreline Community College near Seattle, Penn College received multiple honors as a national leader in educating the next generation of Honda automotive technicians. Holding this year's conference here was an outgrowth of that recognition, which included kudos for automotive faculty members Charles F. Probst and Joseph A. Tavani, and Colin W. Williamson, dean of transportation technology.