Community Spotlight: MTI program earns PSA accreditation

From left to right: Baisch, McCarthy and Downs

BRADENTON – The Major Appliance and Refrigeration Repair program at Manatee Technical Institute has earned accreditation from the Professional Servicers Association as an industry approved training facility.

The accreditation recognizes that MTI has “met all of the industry requirements for Quality Instruction, Compliance to Competencies and Curriculum Development in the areas of Major Appliance and Refrigeration Technology.”

Mike Basich, the Florida SkillsUSA Major Appliance and Refrigeration Technology Coordinator and owner of Michaelson’s Appliance Repair, Inc., of Tampa, presented the certificate to program instructor Paddy McCarthy and MTI assistant director Sue Downs at the Region 6 SkillsUSA conference.

“MTI earned this accreditation because of the achievements of the students,” Basich said. He attributed the accreditation to how well prepared the students were to pass the ISO exam.

The Major Appliance Program at MTI prepares students for employment as electrical home appliance technicians, electrical appliance repair specialists or appliance service representatives.

Students and area business representatives serving as SkillsUSA competition judges attended the special presentation.

About Manatee Technical Institute

Manatee Technical Institute is a postsecondary career and technical education center under the School District of Manatee County offering over 50 career preparation programs. It is fully accredited by the Council on Occupational Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The mission of Manatee Technical Institute is to meet and exceed our community’s training and educational expectations. MTI is a 2007 Tampa Bay Business of the Year, and its students have won more SkillsUSA medals than any other school in the nation for the past nine years. MTI’s new main campus on State Road 70 opened in January 2013.