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Automotive Program Spotlight Series
Sharing stories of strategic partnerships to support the next generation of auto technicians and workers
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School Partner: Dunwoody College of Technology | Minneapolis,MN
Every year, Dunwoody College of Technology’s automotive program hosts an end-of-year cookout for its students, celebrating their wins and passion for cars.
A familiar face among the guests is David Ydstie—Fixed Operations Manager at Audi Minneapolis—who has been partnering with the college’s auto-tech programs since 2017. Back then, Ydstie was searching for ways to grow his own techs, and with the college right down the road, he proposed a working partnership where students could learn and train in his shop as part of their degree programs.
Collaborating to Produce Quality Tech Talent
“We’ve built a strong rapport with Dunwoody over the years,” says Ydstie. “In addition to having students onsite for work and training opportunities, we also provide classroom speakers and donate retired parts to the programs.”
By all accounts, Ydstie’s efforts have paid off because Audi Minneapolis often hires the bulk of Dunwoody’s graduates who have achieved Audi Education Partnership (AEP) certifications. Over time, the partnership has also benefitted other nearby Lithia & Driveway stores, including Audi St. Paul and Coon Rapids Chrysler.
Dunwoody offers two-year automotive degrees in collision/repair, service technology, Honda career training, and Toyota’s technician education network. Additionally, in their second year, students enrolled in the Automotive Service Technology program can opt to add on a manufacturer-specific credential for Audi, Subaru, or Mercedes-Benz.
“We’re getting large numbers of interested students in the Audi Education Partnership credential,” notes Robert Larkin,Director of Automotive Technology. “The college encourages students to get work experience by working part-time at an Audi store, and Dave [Ydstie] and his service teams are so accommodating and supportive of helping the kids.”
Working the Night Shift
Several years ago, Ydstie came up with an innovative idea to help busy college students work in his shop while also managing an increased volume of work. “Getting a bigger shop wasn’t in the cards,” recalls Ydstie, “so I decided to start a night shift program to optimize our existing shop space, utilize the students’ productivity, and accommodate students’ school-work schedules.”
He first created a mentorship program to get the program off the ground, Then, he hired a night shop foreman to run the program, mentor the students, and ensure needed parts were available. The night shift starts at 3pm and ends around midnight. Students work 25 to 30 hours a week and can rotate days, as needed, including adding a Saturday shift.
“The program is doing so well,” says Ydstie, “that we often backfill positions outside the service department, such as for greeters, and then when a night shift position opens up, they come into the program with an even broader user experience.”
The highly successful night shift program exemplifies Ydstie's entrepreneurial leadership, demonstrating, in part, why he was named a 2025 Lithia & Driveway Group Partnership (LPG) Silver Winner for Aftersales! (LPG is our highest operational honor.)
AUDI MINNEAPOLIS TECHNICIANS SPOTLIGHT
Students who work the night shift, or during regular business hours, gain basic, entry-level training for Audi. As an added benefit for the store, shift leaders and managers can evaluate students’ performances and offer them a job after graduation—which is exactly what happened for the following Dunwoody graduates:
Jerry Gutierrez | Service Technician, Class B
Audi Minneapolis (Minnesota)
Gutierrez graduated from Dunwoody College of Technology in 2024 with an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Automotive Service Technology. While attending Dunwoody, he joined the Audi Education Partnership (AEP), which jumpstarted his journey to becoming an Audi expert technician.
During his second year, Gutierrez started working at Audi Minneapolis where he gained valuable work experience. “The dealership really supported me juggling my school and work schedules,” recalls Gutierrez. After graduating and completing his AEP, Audi Minneapolis promoted him to Service Technician, Class B.
“Today, I continue to grow my knowledge and skills as I work toward achieving Master Technician status. I enjoy the challenges that come with diagnosing and repairing modern vehicles and look forward to continuing my career development within the automotive industry.”
Amitabh Seam | Light Duty Technician
Audi Minneapolis (Minnesota)
As a high school senior, Seam planned on a degree in mechanical engineering because of his lifelong love of cars. He soon realized, however, that he wanted a more hands-on automotive career. That’s when a friend told him about Dunwoody. “As I talked to more people about Dunwoody, I heard nothing but positive things, so I enrolled to pursue a two-year degree in Applied Science.”
At Dunwoody, he heard older students talk about their good working experiences at Audi Minneapolis, so he applied for a job on the service department’s night shift. “Thanks to the support of my foreman and shift leads, I was able to build confidence working on a wide variety of jobs while learning in the classroom.”
Seam graduated in 2026 with his AAS degree and is continuing his career with Audi Minneapolis while also completing the Audi Education Partnership credential.
LAD Donation in Action: It’s a Game Changer!
In 2026, Dunwoody College of Technology received a $50,000 donation from Lithia & Driveway in support of its auto programs and in recognition of its long-standing store partnerships.
According to Larkin, the college is using the entire donation to help offset the purchase of a Chassis Dynamometer, which is a testing device that measures the performance of a vehicle by running its wheels on rollers. Because the training cars in the college shops are not licensed or insured, students cannot validate their repair work by taking the car for a test drive on the roads. The chassis dynamometer solves that problem.
“It’s really going to up our game by providing the students with a better opportunity to learn,” notes Larkin. “It’s a great investment in the auto programs.”
If your store or technical school is interested in developing a similar partnership, reach out to Brittany Osterhout, Community Relations Manager at BrittanyOsterhout@lithia.com.
