Alongside campus leadership, community leaders, automotive partners and more, Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis officially opened the doors of its new $14 million, 59,000-square-foot Automotive Technology Center in the city’s International Marketplace District (4751 Century Plaza Road) on June 9, 2021. This new Center sits on land donated by Sid and Louis Eskenazi and the Eskenazi Family Foundation, replacing the College’s former automotive learning facility on East Washington Street near downtown Indianapolis.
“Our new center will bring about new opportunities in technology, partnerships, and experiences that up until now have been quite limited,” said Steven Bardonner, dean of the School of Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering, and Applied Science at Ivy Tech Indianapolis. “This will not only positively affect the area where it is located but the Indianapolis service area as a whole, too.”
Speakers at the event included Ivy Tech Indianapolis Chancellor Dr. Kathleen Lee, incoming Ivy Tech Indianapolis Chancellor Dr. Lorenzo Esters, Ivy Tech Community College President Dr. Sue Ellspermann, District 94 Representative and Democratic Floor Leader Cherrish Pryor, District 33 and Minority Leader Senator Greg Taylor and Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett.
Ivy Tech’s new Automotive Technology Center was made possible through a variety of automotive and community partners, including a $1 million gift from the Indianapolis Auto Trade Association, which provided a jumpstart on the fundraising for this project. It was also made possible through its New Market Tax Credit partners: Cinnaire, PNC Bank and the City of Indianapolis.
Today, Ivy Tech Indianapolis has nearly 300 students enrolled in the Automotive Technology program and hopes to double enrollment with this new Center. Additionally, Ivy Tech’s presence in this community will provide an additional resource to the more than 1,100 current Ivy Tech students that live in the International Marketplace neighborhood.
Automotive Technology students will learn the technological skills needed for today’s industry in state-of-the-art classrooms and labs, including corporate labs for GM ASEP and Toyota T-TEN. They receive training in a variety of areas of expertise, including electrical systems, engine performance, transmissions, brakes, steering, suspension systems, air conditioning and engine repair.
Aiding in the College’s mission to get Hoosiers into high-wage, in-demand jobs, the automotive program offers paid cooperative education opportunities, with a 100% job placement for those who meet industry eligibility requirements. Classes are taught by Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Master certified instructors using more than 100 training vehicles to help students build career advancement skills and explore manufacturer-specific diagnostic service tools and information.
Students can earn an array of credentials, including certificates and technical certificates in as little as two to three semesters, or an associate of applied science degree in as little as five semesters. They are also prepared to take and successfully pass the ASE Technician Certification exam and land secure jobs as technicians, service writers, service managers, dealerships, independent repair shops, part stores, and more.
“Locally in Indianapolis, graduates of the Toyota T-TEN and GM ASEP programs often earn $40,000 to $70,000 per year ($20 – $38 per hour), with the potential to earn more as you advance in your career,” said Jeff Evans, Automotive Technology program chair. “They land a variety of jobs such as technicians, service writers and service managers in dealerships, independent repair shops and part stores.”
In addition to housing this new program, Ivy Tech Indianapolis admissions representatives plan to have a presence in this new Automotive Technology Center to assist anyone wishing to enroll at Ivy Tech. The College also plans to enhance partnerships within the International Marketplace to increase educational attainment, including partnering with the nearby Global Village to potentially house general/core classes in the future.
For more information about the services and resources available at the new Automotive Technology Center, visit IvyTech.edu/IndyAutomotive. Photos of the event can be found at link.ivytech.edu/IndyAutoGrandOpening and photos of the new facility can be found at link.ivytech.edu/IndyAutomotiveCenter-Photos.
Ivy Tech Indianapolis News 
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