Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification sets the skilled mechanic apart from the amateur grease monkey, allowing employers and customers alike to verify a mechanic's level of expertise. However, as automotive technology is continually changing, ASE certification needs to be updated periodically. Any good auto mechanic school will usually offer programs for mechanics who want not only to renew their certification, but also to stay on the cutting edge of automotive repair.

The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence, the non-profit organization that devised the ASE certification system, was founded in 1972. The organization and its certification system was established in order to enable consumers to easily recognize qualified mechanics, as recent years had seen a growing need for the establishment of standards in the field of auto mechanics. The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence offers recognition as an "expert" to mechanics who pass at least one test and provide proof of at least two years' relevant work experience. There are more than 40 tests, each corresponding to a specific area of expertise. In order to maximize one's salary and value to an employer, mechanics are advised to become certified in as many specific areas as possible.

Part of the need for standards in the automotive field is due to the field's constant state of flux: automotive technology is constantly changing and becoming more complicated. As a result, each ASE certification must be updated every five years. This means that in order to retake the certification tests, a mechanic must be knowledgeable about any changes or advancements in automotive technology during the past five years. Auto mechanic school provides an easy forum for mechanics to continue their education and maintain their ASE certifications.

Auto mechanic school has always offered beginning automotive students a way to learn the trade and earn their ASE certifications. Curriculums are dedicated to ensuring that students fully understand and have experience with the subject matter of each test. The programs offered in auto mechanic school aren't just for beginners, however. Most good automotive schools offer programs for continuing education to established mechanics. These courses may range from a refresher course for reviewing the subject material that will be addressed on the test, to a more detailed briefing on recent changes in automotive technology. Some courses may also be geared toward established mechanics who do not currently have any ASE certifications, but would like to, without having to go through the entire degree program.

ASE certification reassures your customers that you are an expert in the field, much as the "Ph.D." after your doctor's name reassures you that she knows what she is doing; and just as in your doctor's field, continuing education is the cornerstone of a mechanic's business. Frequently updated ASE certifications relay to customers and employers that the mechanic knows the most recent advancements in the field, ensuring quality work even on the newest of cars. As a result of the regulations put in place by the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence, auto mechanic school caters not only to beginners, but to returning students and experienced mechanics as well.