Rob Dykstra, a 2005 Graduate of Shoreline Community College’s Honda Professional Automotive Career Training (PACT) Program and a Honda Master Technician at Lynnwood Honda, won 1st place in the Honda TopTech Competition held at the American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Northwest Training Center in Portland, OR on Oct. 14.
Winners of the contest are recognized as the best Honda and Acura Technicians in the country. The Portland competition was a regional qualifier for nationals and was open to technicians from Honda’s Zone 2 territory, which includes nine states including Washington.
The TopTech contest is only open to Honda and Acura Master Technicians and only the top eight technicians in the zone were invited to the hands-on competition in Portland. The competition challenged technicians’ diagnostic and technical skills through a series of test stations.
Dykstra has competed in TopTech Contests previously, with this being his first win. He will travel to Torrance, CA in January to compete against the winners of the other 10 regional contests for the honor of being named the top TopTech in the U.S.
“We’re very proud that Rob is one of our alum,” said Bob Biesiedzinski, Honda PACT Program Coordinator and Instructor at Shoreline. “And I’m not surprised at all that he’s done so well. Hard work and determination are key to success in our industry, and Rob is one of the hardest working around. His colleagues and the current students in the Honda PACT program all highly respect him.”
Dykstra is an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Master Technician who visits the Honda PACT program at Shoreline on a monthly basis to offer his time and expertise as an Instructional Volunteer.
“I think it’s a real testament to the automotive program here at Shoreline that we have an alum of Rob’s caliber who is so willing to give his time back to current students,” Biesiedzinski said. “Our alumni understand the quality of the education they received here and the difference having mentorship from a working, industry professional can make in preparing students for real-world employment.”
One of the original PACT programs in the country, the Honda PACT Program at Shoreline Community College has been training technicians since 1989. It’s a comprehensive AAAS Degree Program offered by Shoreline Community College in partnership with American Honda Motor Co., Inc.