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Tate High School Revs Up New Automotive Service Academy, Seeks Mechanic Teacher

Tate High School’s new Automotive Service Academy is set to open in the fall, but the program is still looking for a teacher who is an experienced mechanic with ASE certification.

Last October, Triumph Gulf Coast voted to award a grant of up to $617,227 to Escambia County Public Schools to re-establish the Automotive Service Academy at Tate High School and to renovate and equip the former Auto Body building with modern equipment and a hands-on lab.

Academy Teacher Needed

“The instructor we are looking for does not need a college degree. We need a teacher who has experience in working on cars,” said Steve Harrell, Workforce Director for Escambia County Public Schools. “They need to have at least two years of full-time experience as a mechanic. Additionally, the new instructor needs to have ASE certification. They don’t need to have ASE Master Mechanic, but they do need to have passed at least four ASE certifications (such as brake, electrical, suspension and steering, etc.).”

“We value experience over all else,” he added.

The salary range is $48,300 to $52,100 for a 10-month position and includes benefits and access to training.

“We can move a new applicant up a little on the salary schedule if they have experience,” Harrell said. “I hope that everyone who sees this job posting realizes that comparing a teaching job to another job is difficult. The rewards that come from giving young people the skills they need to be successful in a career are immeasurable.”

Additionally, a “Classroom Heroes” grant can potentially pay up to $4,000 in sign-on bonus for veterans.

To apply, click here.

Automotive Service Academy

“This program is a reimagining of our previous Automotive Service program that closed down ages ago,” Harrell said. In the years since the program closed, the space that once was an auto service program became a storage facility and a pottery classroom.

With the Triumph grant and matching funds from the school district, just over $1 million has been invested in the program. The building has undergone a complete makeover with power door lifts, an epoxy floor, two classrooms, a locker room, and even a laundry room to wash coveralls that will protect student clothing. Before school starts, tool rooms and vehicle lifts will be installed.

The academy is also being outfitted with complete Snap-on tool sets.

Students will troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair vehicles, as well as provide routine maintenance on a variety of modern automobiles. This project will have a classroom academic component, but the primary learning environment will be the academy’s automotive service shop and will guarantee completion of 225 Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certificates by the end of the 2029-2030 academic year.

Pictured: Work is underway to complete the interior of Tate High School’s new Automotive Service Academy. Equipment such as vehicles lifts, tool cribs and classroom furniture will be installed in the the coming days. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.