FTCC automotive instructor Andy Harmon who serves as the program coordinator for the Ford Maintenance & Light Repair program.
Fayetteville Technical Community College automotive instructor Andy Harmon earned the Mitchell 1 Educator of the Year award for 2020.
The annual award recognizes an instructor as one of the nation’s top teachers for commitment to educational excellence in the automotive repair industry. Harmon has taught at the College since 2013 and currently serves as the program coordinator for the College’s Ford Maintenance & Light Repair (MLR) program.
“Andy Harmon’s excellent career experience and reputation as an automotive instructor make him an outstanding choice to receive this year’s Mitchell 1 Educator of the Year honor,” Nick DiVerde, senior marketing director for Mitchell 1, said in a press release. “We’re pleased to recognize Andy’s dedication to helping develop skilled professionals for the car care industry, and we extend our sincerest congratulations to him on this achievement.”
Harmon will receive a one-year complimentary subscription to Mitchell 1’s ProDemand diagnostic, estimating and auto repair information software for the College, a three-year membership in the North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT), a check for $500 and a $250 Snap-on gift card. Mitchell 1 is a division of Snap-on Incorporated, a maker of tools and diagnostic equipment for the transportation industry.
Harmon said the recognition came as a shock to him, noting he didn’t apply for it as part of any selection process. Harmon learned after he took the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification – a nationwide requirement for all automotive instructors to teach – that he had earned the highest scores of any educator in the past year. His knowledge was tested in a variety of areas such as engine repair, suspension and steering, brakes and electrical/electronic systems. Mitchell 1 informed Harmon of his scoring achievement.
“It is a great honor to be recognized, but it was something I was never expecting,” Harmon said. “I was just doing my job as usual.”
Prior to joining FTCC, Harmon earned his automotive degree at Greenville Technical College in South Carolina. He’s worked at General Motors dealerships across South Carolina, Georgia and North Carolina before earning his GM World Class certification in 2007. He credits his wife with encouraging him to take on an adjunct automotive instructor role at FTCC.
“I quickly found that I loved being able to use my industry knowledge to teach students the hands-on skills they would need to be successful technicians,” Harmon said. He became a full-time instructor at FTCC in 2015. “I find my role to be extremely satisfying and have the opportunity to work with individuals from all walks of life that are interested in learning to work on cars.”
Mitchell 1 describes itself as a “leader in providing automotive repair software and repair shop solutions” in the industry since 1918, according to its website.
Learn more about the Maintenance & Light Repair program, an alliance between Ford Motor Company and the College, by visiting its web page here. Harmon oversees the program, which trains students to become automotive service technicians over the course of eight weeks.
