We’re excited to announce that Tom Wood Automotive Group has joined ASE Connects as a founding member—enrolling all 13 of their Indiana dealerships in the program.

Tom Wood is sending a clear message: investing in and supporting the programs educating future technicians isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Investing in the Next Generation of Technicians

The technician shortage continues to impact dealerships and repair shops across the country. While hiring efforts are important, the long-term solution starts earlier—in the classrooms where future technicians are discovering career paths.

Tom Wood understands that.

“At Tom Wood, we pride ourselves in being leaders in the industry for growing the next generation of technicians. One example of that is our Tom Wood University which we launched in 2025.” said William Demaree, Corporate Director of Fixed Ops at Tom Wood Automotive. “When WrenchWay approached us about joining ASE Connects, it was a no brainer. It fits in perfectly with our beliefs.”

Through ASE Connects, their dealerships will now be visible to local schools and instructors as industry partners who are ready to engage, support, and build relationships with students before graduation.

What Is ASE Connects?

ASE Connects, an initiative led by ASE & WrenchWay, is designed to strengthen the technician pipeline by ensuring all schools have access to the support and resources they need to educate students about careers in automotive, diesel, and collision repair.

ASE Connects is creating the structure schools and shops need to connect, collaborate, and grow the next generation of technicians with a five step approach:

  • Build and maintain a nationwide directory of every high school and post-secondary automotive, diesel, and collision program
  • Gather meaningful school data around student enrollment numbers, whether the school has a dedicated program, and what courses are offered
  • Ensure schools have the resources and support they need from local shops and dealerships who are willing to help
  • Track progress and long-term outcomes by following student career pathways to better understand career placement and retention
  • Repeat and strengthen each year to ensure a consistent flow of future technicians

But we can’t do this work alone. We need the help of shops and dealerships, like Tom Wood Automotive Group, who are ready to step up, help out local schools, and invest in building a stronger, more sustainable technician pipeline for their communities and the industry as a whole.

For more information about ASE Connects, visit wrenchway.com.