ASU-Beebe, Yamaha Sign Agreement for Training Program
07/16/2019
SEARCY, Ark. -- Arkansas State University-Beebe and Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. formally signed a partnership agreement to establish a training program for outboard marine motor technicians at ASU-Beebe’s Searcy campus during a ceremony on July 17.
The signing took place at Sunrise Marine Center in Searcy, the local Yamaha dealership which helped bring about the discussion between Yamaha and ASU-Beebe.
“This partnership and enhanced training program represents a generous commitment by Yamaha Motor Corporation U.S.A. in the form of advisement, endorsement, training aids, instructional equipment, and materials,” said Dr. Jennifer Methvin, chancellor of ASU-Beebe. “It is a model industry investment in higher education expertise and resources to ensure they can support high tech training at our institutions.”
Dr. Jennifer Methvin, chancellor of ASU-Beebe and Steve Maciosek, regional service
manager for Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., sign the agreement establishing the
Yamaha Outboard Service Technician training program at ASU-Beebe’s Searcy campus.
The Yamaha-specific outboard training will be incorporated into ASU-Beebe’s current Power Sports program where students learn to repair and maintain a variety of outdoor sports vehicles and engines. This two-year program will be the first of its kind in the state open to both high school and college level students. High school students from area schools participate in this and other technical training programs through the Regional Career Center at the ASU-Beebe Searcy campus.
Yamaha’s Trade & Technical School Partnership program has been developing over the last three years. ASU-Beebe is the 111th educational partnership, and Maciosek says that Yamaha Corporation is hoping to achieve 200 school partnerships by the end of 2019.
The outboard engines training program represents a substantial investment by Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. in that the company will provide the instructional materials, technical manuals, equipment training sets, outboard engines, test equipment and access to Yamaha Motors Business parts ordering system for parts and supplies to facilitate the training.
Steve Maciosek, regional service manager for Yamaha U.S.A. said, “We [Yamaha] are looking forward to growing technicians for the local area and across the state. We need the younger generation to develop into marine technicians across the nation.”
He added that the problem faced by the marine industry today is that the average age of master technicians industry-wide is 52 years old. And, approximately 20 percent of those are lost each year.
“Our goal through these partnership training programs is to train technicians to fill the need for skilled marine service technicians nationwide, and create a career track to supply the industry with skilled technicians well into the future,” Maciosek said.
Ron Snyder, instructor of Power Sports at ASU-Beebe, said, “The impressive part of this program is that it is not simply a training program for our kids, this is a career path. Graduates of this program can make a career out of this anywhere they want to live in the nation. And earn good money doing it.”
“This, and our other industry partnerships, demonstrate ASU-Beebe’s commitment to bringing opportunities and improving the skilled workforce in our community,” said Dr. Jennifer Methvin, chancellor of ASU-Beebe.
For more information about ASU-Beebe’s career education and training programs, view the webpage at http://www.asub.edu/academics/career-education/ or call (501) 882-6213. For more information about ASU-Beebe programs offered, visit the website at www.asub.edu.
Arkansas State University-Beebe is an operationally separate, two-year institution of the Arkansas State University System. With campuses located in Beebe, Heber Springs, Searcy, Little Rock Air Force Base, and online. The university offers associate degrees, certificates, and non-credit training for business and industry.
