RUNNING HEAD: WORKPLACE ANALYSIS 1

Smarthinking Tutor Response Form

Your tutor has written overview comments about your essay in the form below. Your tutor has
also embedded comments [in bold and in brackets] within your essay. Thank you for
choosing Smarthinking to help you improve your writing!

Hello, Christopher! My name is Angela B. I look forward to working with you on this Essay
Center Review to improve your writing today. Let's get started!

*Writing Strength:
Your draft contains a good description of what good students are:

Good quality students are students that have the ability to show up for school, keep
attending, and of course graduate.

This ensures that your readers are aware of what ATCs goals are in terms of the quality of
students. Good job, Christopher!

*Christopher 9742144 has requested that you respond to the Main

Idea/Thesis:
Your thesis statement does not precisely preview your essay about organizational issues
and its corresponding solutions:
ATC can ensure these issues can be resolved with proper protocol training an
incentive program that highlights quality over quantity of new admissions to the
programs.
In your essay, you talk about specific organizational issues and how you intend to solve
them. However, you do not mention these specific topics in your thesis statement. This
might leave your readers unprepared for the rest of your essay; they might not know what
to expect from it.
Consider being more specific in your thesis statement. In it, you might want to identify the
specific topics that you cover in your essay. It might help to go over your essay again to
take note of those topics. Afterwards, you might want to integrate these into your thesis
statement. Take a look at this sample thesis statement for a similar essay:

Bowler's autocratic management style, when coupled with Smith's theory of social
cognition, can reduce the expenses associated with employee turnover.

This sample thesis statement identifies three specific causes for the failure of a project.
Consider using it as a model for when you revise your own. If you need more help, you might
also want to read the chapter on Developing a Thesis from the Smarthinking Writer's
Handbook.

*Christopher 9742144 has requested that you respond to the Content

Development:
I am concerned about some of your points that are underdeveloped, Christopher. This issue
may leave unanswered questions in your readers heads regarding the other competitors of
ATC.

A well-developed idea leaves the reader feeling that the information given is thorough and
complete. One good way to develop ideas is through making a point, providing an example,
and explaining how that point relates to your thesis. Consider following this framework
whenever you develop your ideas:
Workplace Analysis: ATC: Automotive Training Center 2

P: Make a point: The two main competitors have urban locations, shuttles, and offer
housing.

I: Illustrate the point: What are these two competitors? How do they compare to ATC?

E: Explain how this point relates to the thesis.

Grammar & Mechanics

Some of your sentences are missing commas. Using commas to separate words and ideas is
important because it allows your readers to have a smooth reading experience. Failure to use
commas when needed can cause confusion. Take a look at this excerpt from your draft:

With these organizational changes ATC can turn its current low admission track
around and increase the quality and amount of students that can benefit from the
programs offered while increasing revenue and profits for the school.

Words, phrases, and clauses placed before the main clause of a sentence are known as
introductory elements. Most often, these introductory elements tell when, where, why, or how
the action occurred. A comma shows readers that the introductory element has ended and the
main sentence follows. So you may understand the revision need better, I have created a
parallel example below:

With your help, we will be able to raise enough money for the project.

Please check your draft for similar errors. You may read more about Commas in your
Smarthinking Writers Handbook.

Summary of Next Steps:

Create a concise thesis statement.

Explain your ideas thoroughly.
Separate introductory elements from the main sentence by using commas.

Thank you for submitting your essay for a review. I enjoyed helping you with this step in the
revision process. Have a good day, Christopher!

You can find more information about writing, grammar, and usage in the Smarthinking
Writer's Handbook.

___________________________________________________________________________

Please look for comments [in bold and in brackets] in your essay below.
Thank you for submitting your work to Smarthinking! We hope to see you again soon.
Workplace Analysis: ATC: Automotive Training Center 3

Milestone 4: Workplace Analysis

ATC: Automotive Training Center

Christopher Bowen

Southern New Hampshire University

Workplace Analysis: ATC: Automotive Training Center 4

Abstract

In this workplace analysis I will first discuss the background of Automotive Training

Center. I will follow that with an explanation of known organizational issues from my

own experience. Next, I will inform about root causes from a human behavior perspective

and validate the analysis with supportive research evidence. Finally, I will discuss the

resulting impact of poorly aligned and administrated human behavior theories and

concepts.

Milestone: Workplace Study Analysis:

ATC: Automotive Training Center

Organizational issues of Automotive Training Center

Workplace Analysis: ATC: Automotive Training Center 5

Automotive Training Center or ATC as its known in the post-secondary for profit

education industry has been a community asset for automotive vocational training per its

website since its inception in 1917.(N.D.,2017) ATCs reputation of being an

independent and privately owned technical school has earned it an honored place among

the vast competition as one of the 10 best automitve training programs in the

nation.(Laliberte,2016) As compared to their competitions larger, publicly held

automotive technician training schools in the Bucks and Montgomery counties of eastern

Pennsylvania. ATC has two campuses one in Exton, Pennsylvania, built in

1971(N.D.2017), and a newer vastly larger and technologically savvier new campus built

in 2005 in Warminster Pennsylvania. I personally, have been a part of the ATC family in

its Bucks County location since 2012 working my way up from first, a rep then moving

up to team lead and now director of admissions. ATC has a heads up on the completion

because its focus on one genre vocational training automotive. This genre has a finite

focus of five different engine focused training programs. These programs encompass a

full mechanical and technical diagnostic training of engine hi-performance technology,

diesel technology, basic automotive technology, collision repair and marine engine

technology. Automotive training center has been a resource for adult and high school

students wanting to learn a much desired and hands on trade in the surrounding

communities of both campuses.

ATC two main organizational issues are first, keeping admission representatives

driven to produce good quality, new admissions to the programs offered while also

following accreditation regulation in a highly regulated and competitive industry. [How

Workplace Analysis: ATC: Automotive Training Center 6

is this sentence effective in introducing the contents of your essay? It looks like

youve started a more detailed discussion within the introduction. Consider

repositioning this idea into a new paragraph that is separated from the

introduction.] The for profit technical training industry has had many bumps in road

with accreditation recently according to the New York Times. (Cohen, 2016) ATC

accreditation standing has been top notch in the last reported seven years according to its

website(N.D.,2017)Good quality students are students that have the ability to show up for

school, keep attending, and of course graduate. Some issues that get in the way of

successful student are transportation, and location of residence. If a student can not get

to school, they will fail, as well as if a student lives far away, and does not have a plan for

success to keep attending, they will achieve burn out and stop attending.

The second organizational issue is assuring good quality enrollees, fit for the

programs offered to ensure the students success upon graduating the programs offered

and most importantly are able to find successful full-time employment is their area of

study. Because of the pressure to bring new students into the school while also ensuring

that they will benefit of completion of the program is a fine line and is a major difficulty

for a for-profit school looking to add onto the roles of the campuses. ATC needs to

address its incentive program to bring new students in while also ensuring good quality

starting students prepared for the program and properly preparing the student for

completion and success. ATC can ensure these issues can be resolved with proper

protocol training an incentive program that highlights quality over quantity of new

admissions to the programs.

Root causes from a human behavior perspective

Workplace Analysis: ATC: Automotive Training Center 7

Automotive training center has two main root challenges pertaining to its success

as a community vocational training asset as well as improving census to the schools

population and maintaining its excellent reputation, as a quality training school to the

areas employers of its student base.

The first of ATCs root challenges is how to bring more students into the schools

programs. Competition is fierce and the industry is highly regulated.(Cohen,2016) [How

exactly does this accurately reflect the contents of this paragraph regarding the

factors that affect enrollment? Quotes should be used as additional information that

can support your topic sentence, Christopher. Consider using quotes as supporting

details instead of using them as topic sentences.] Cost is always a huge factor in

students choosing a school, ATCs cost according to its website is in the middle

compared to its competitors(N.D.2017), another factor is opportunity for graduated

students, in this aspect ATC is tops in reported graduation to full-time work in the chosen

program of study according to accreditation data on its website.(N.D.,2017) Where ATC

is beaten by its completion is location. ATCs Warminster and Exton campuses have

scant public transportation and almost zero housing options for prospective students that

do not drive or live far away and need to live near the campus. The two main competitors

have urban locations, shuttles, and offer housing. The geographic and demographics of

students that attend vocational schools that are near urban centers like Warminster and

Extons campuses in relation to cities like Philadelphia is vast. This limitation of

transportation and housing limits students options to attend the school and narrows the

demographic to nearby car having commuters.

Workplace Analysis: ATC: Automotive Training Center 8

The second root challenge of ATCs organizational issues is bring in enrolled

students that can take the education learned in the programs, graduate, and achieve full

time work in an a position related to their chosen field of study. As an admission

representative the pressure is great to add to the student base and reap the rewards of

admittance into the program. [ This sentence contains an introductory element that

isnt separated from the main sentence. Use commas to separate them from each

other. (e.g. As a student, I understand that the pressure can be too much sometimes.)]

The current incentive plan at ATC is focused on the amount of student starts into the

program and causes frustration on the administration side because admitted student are

sometimes neither prepared to start and complete the program or have background or

personal problems that will block them from employment to our vast network of

employers. It is in the entire companies best interest to bring on good quality, class ready,

and employable students to start, graduate, and find employment. Graduations to

employment numbers are recorded into a national vocational database that is open to the

public. The higher the percentage of employed graduates to starts makes joining the ATC

program desirable to students faced with many choices and competition.

Without training and properly incentivizing the admissions team the companys

enrollment outlook and future financial future is gloomy. ATC needs to revamp the

incentive plan to give the admission team desire to bring on good quality admittance as

well as educate them on opportunities to allow those students without transportation or

housing good quality option to overcome these objections to develop the demographic

population not already being serviced currently. With these organizational changes ATC

can turn its current low admission track around and increase the quality and amount of
Workplace Analysis: ATC: Automotive Training Center 9

students that can benefit from the programs offered while increasing revenue and profits

for the school.

Impact of poorly aligned human behavior theories at Automotive Training Center.

These core issues of increased enrollees and improved quality of those enrolled

are the basis for the profit and loss and future of ATC and its 100 year run as an

independent community vocational school. The current plan of incentivizing the

admission team for new enrollments without further acknowledgement of those

enrollments graduation and employment rates can be attributed to two factors, one the

incentive plan needs to be updated and the training and education of the admissions team

needs to be improved. By restructuring the incentive plan and increasing the amount and

quality of what makes a proper and successful student to the organization. The team of

admissions representatives needs help to have ATC continue its success and its

exceptional reputation as the first choice of post-secondary automotive school in the

Delaware Valley of Pennsylvania.

Without a proper incentive plan for the admission team focused on employed

graduates and without proper training on how to over come hurdles of transportation and

housing for far away students, ATC will fail to increase its student population and senses

and it risks losing its reputation as a school that graduates students prepared and properly

trained for the areas employers. These issues can be overcome with a sound training for

the admissions team on options for the students without transportation and housing, and
Workplace Analysis: ATC: Automotive Training Center 10

overhauling the current incentive plan focused on employed graduates from the ATC

programs.

References:

Cohen, P. (2016, August 28). Crackdown on For-Profit Colleges May Free Students and

Trap Taxpayers. Retrieved May 18, 2017, from

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/29/business/crackdown-on-for-profit-colleges-

may-free-students-and-trap-taxpayers.html

Home. (n.d.). Retrieved May 18, 2017, from http://www.autotraining.edu/about-

atc/history/

Home. (n.d.). Retrieved May 18, 2017, from http://www.autotraining.edu/consumer-

information/student-achievement-rates/

Laliberte, N. (2016, October 20). The 10 Best Trade Schools in America for Aspiring

Mechanics. Retrieved May 18, 2017, from

http://www.complex.com/sports/2013/03/the-10-best-trade-schools-in-america-

for-aspiring-mechanics/
Workplace Analysis: ATC: Automotive Training Center 11