About Us
Torchiana Automotive Training Institute (TATI) started out as Edgemont Garage in 1978. After five years we moved to West Chester and merged with another shop, renaming the company Torchiana Automotive. Don Smith, an employee of the other shop, stayed with us and we started to teach technicians in evening classes. Sun/Snap-On, Mitchell, and Firestone were some of our clients. We were associated with ASPIRE, the leader in the aftermarket training in the 80s and 90s. In 1998, we received our license from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Private Licensed Schools. We have been teaching in-service technicians from the Delaware Valley ever since.
Our approach to teaching, from a working technician perspective, gives us a distinct advantage over other training organizations. It allows us to present real life experiences that a student will encounter today and tomorrow while emphasizing the basic and advanced theories of automobile operation.
Joe Torchiana | Automotive Training Expert
Our Director, Joe Torchiana, has always been involved with the industry outside of teaching and automobile service. Joe served on the Board of Directors of National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) for many from 1998 to 2011 and was Chairman of ASE in 2009 and 2010. He participated as a subject matter expert (SME) in the test writing for the ASE L1 – Advanced Diagnostic Certification for four years. Joe served on the Mechanical Operations Committee of ASA (a national trade association) and is currently a Trustee of the National Automotive Technician Education Foundation (NATEF). He has been accepted as an automotive expert witness in State and Federal Courts.
Debbie Torchiana, our Administrator, is a non-technician example of what the automotive industry has to offer. Debbie started working for Joe as an office manager in 1978. Before long she was ordering parts, working up estimates and contacting customers for repair authorization. Debbie is an ASE Certified Service Consultant. Besides understanding the technicians evaluation and recommendations, a service consultant has to be able to explain those repairs to a customer in a way that they can comprehend. A service consultant works both sides of the counter of an automotive repair facility. Now Debbie will be helping students with their resumes and interviewing skills.