More than 1,000 students from 34 high schools in six southern states will get a first-hand view of how vehicles are manufactured, delivered and serviced during a two-week educational program designed to introduce them to careers in a field where the demand for skilled workers is high. The goal of the program, called "Teens and Wheels," is to demonstrate the rewarding nature of careers in retail automotive service, while dispelling lingering myths and stereotypes.

"Teens and Wheels" is being hosted by BMW of North America at its Manufacturing and Performance Centers, in conjunction with Automotive Youth Services (AYES), an organization of automakers and dealers dedicated to changing public perception of automotive services careers, and preparing young people for entry-level positions or advanced studies in the field School-to-career programs at the high school level academics, employability training, in-dealership experience and formal mentoring components.

"Careers at franchise automobile dealers are a growth industry," said Tom Purves, chairman and CEO of BMW of North America, and member of the board of AYES. "The jobs we offer are more sophisticated and better paying than those available in the so-called service-economy. And since they cover an array of positions, they are attractive to people with a variety of skills. These are non-cyclical jobs that cannot be outsourced overseas."

This second "Teens and Wheels" educational program builds on the overwhelming success of the first event series, held in 2004. This year, by adding a second week to the agenda, twice the number of students -- from an expanded geographic area -- are able to take part.

There are currently more than 104,000 career opportunities available at franchise dealers in the United States -- more than half of them as automotive technicians. And the U.S. Department of Labor projects another 35,000 new automotive technician jobs annually through at least 2010.

As new vehicles become increasingly sophisticated and complex, the automotive industry must compete with other high-tech industries for skilled employees. Today's automotive technicians must possess keen analytic and computer skills to properly diagnose and repair these vehicles, and BMW and AYES are committed to providing the ongoing training required.

The students participating in "Teens and Wheels" are from technical schools and high schools with AYES-certified automotive trade programs. All have had some coursework -- and some have had actual experience -- in the automotive services trade. At BMW Manufacturing Co.'s plant, they will see BMW Z4 and X5 models being assembled, and at the BMW Performance Center, they will get to look "under the hood" to see how the vehicles are repaired and maintained, and also receive a demonstration of the vehicles' high performance capabilities.

According to Russ Lucas, BMW southern region aftersales manager, the program is a "win-win" for both the students and the 45 BMW dealerships that are supporting it. The first program, three years ago, he says, "has done wonders in terms of interest in technical careers and applications for BMW dealers. Several of the students who attended are now working at dealerships throughout the region."

Program organizers hope to further strengthen that connection between the automotive services industry and exciting career opportunities -- in the minds of students, school staff, and hopefully, parents.