Augusta Tech Transforms Old Car Shop Into Automotive Institute
What better way for a student to get hands-on experience in the automotive world, than by having class in a former auto shop?
Jim Hudson Automotive Institute, formerly known as Johnson Motor Company, will now operate as a stimulation of a fully functional automotive dealership for the students at Augusta Technical College.
The new facility is projected to be ready for students by the fall of 2025. It will be about 65,000 square feet.
Students will then be able to get that hands-on educational experience with projects such as electric vehicle work. Electric vehicles are a part of everyday society now, so this is an important set of skills to also know. Also, as cars become smarter, Augusta Tech students will already be ahead of it.
Jim Hudson says this initiative is key, as he has seen the automotive industry grow and change over the years. Good technicians can be hard to come across, but this program will help eliminate that shortage.
Augusta Tech has been working hard over the past few years to become a destination school and this has been one of the initiatives to come about, along with the Patch, the nursing building, the advanced manufacturing building, and an entrepreneurship program.
The program won’t just focus on hands-on work in mechanics but also learn about the sales and business side of things.
This isn’t just a plus for the students, but for the community as well! Community members will be able to get their cars serviced in the service bays on things like light repairs.
If you are local to the midlands of South Carolina and Augusta, GA, you may be familiar with the Jim Hudson Automotive group. They has been around since the 1980’s representing and selling various car brands such as Acura, Audi, Buick, Cadillac, Chevy, Ford, GMC, Lexus, and Toyota. There are currently 10 Jim Hudson car dealership locations around the CSRA.
Funds from Augusta National and the Knox Foundation also contributed to this project.
