Alternative Fuels — Carbon Based Fuels Proficiency Certificate provides valuable training and expertise and adds an additional path to our existing, successful automotive (AT) Program, which is accredited by the Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (NIASE). While the AT Program meets the current industry requirements for Automotive Technicians, it is not focused on future fuel needs, and this expertise is increasingly required and in demand. This micro proficiency certificate helps to meet that need, and we believe that our current and future AT students will be interested in completing it to enhance their marketability. This micro proficiency certificate is also intended to help experienced technicians prepare to work on alternative fueled vehicles that use carbon-based fuels.
Alternative fuels are increasingly being used in our immediate geographical area and require trained technicians, which this credential addresses. Many local organizations are investing in alternative fuels. For example, the City of Philadelphia has just completed a large infrastructure improvement project by building a multimillion dollar Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fueling station for their fleet of waste removal vehicles, allowing them to slow-fill 70 CNG vehicles at one time. We will continue to see different fuels being used as the price of conventional gas continues to rise. Fuel replacement, the use of a new fuel in an existing platform, is a continual challenge because of the opportunity to reduce the everyday fuel cost associated with transportation. A small change can bring huge rewards for companies such as SEPTA when their entire profit margin rides of fuel costs.
The Alternative Fuels - Carbon Based Fuels Proficiency Certificate program is located at the Career and Advanced Technology Center (CATC).