Automotive Business School of Canada

What Automotive Business School of Canada does

The Automotive Business School of Canada (ABSC) is a specialized academic division within Georgian College, a public college institution located at the Barrie Campus in Barrie, Ontario. Established in 1985 and operated as a program rather than a standalone entity, ABSC delivers automotive-industry-focused post-secondary education, including a two-year Automotive Business diploma (Co-op), a four-year Honours Bachelor of Business Administration in Automotive Management (Co-op), and the executive-level Canadian Dealership Academy (CDA) for current and aspiring dealer principals and general managers. The school reports a staff of approximately 26 and is tuition-funded under Georgian College's standard fee structure.

The school's core delivery model combines classroom instruction with an industry-co-developed curriculum and up to 12 months of paid co-op work terms with automotive employers across Canada. The Georgian College Auto Show — Canada's largest outdoor student-run new car auto show, attracting over 10,000 attendees and roughly 18 major manufacturer brands — functions as a flagship experiential-learning platform. ABSC reports a graduate employment rate above 90% and disburses more than $150,000 annually in scholarships and awards funded through industry partnerships.

ABSC's competitive position rests on deep integration with the Canadian automotive trade-association ecosystem, including partnerships with Global Automakers of Canada, the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association, the Canadian Automobile Dealers Association, all provincial dealer associations, and the Automotive Industries Association of Canada. The GTM motion is a hybrid of Georgian College's institutional student-recruitment infrastructure (virtual sessions, campus tours, recruiter appointments, Career Match quiz, mailing lists) and industry-led community channels (NAFA, TADA, AIA Canada conferences). Tuition is the primary revenue stream, supplemented by executive and corporate training. No AI/ML capabilities, M&A activity, funding events, or executive leadership changes are disclosed in the available data.

Name

Automotive Business School of Canada

Legal name

Georgian College

Website

https://automotivebusinessschool.ca

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Automotive Business School of Canada is a division of Georgian College in Barrie, Ontario that delivers automotive-business diploma, degree, and executive dealership programs, serving students seeking careers across the Canadian automotive industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Business Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Business and Secretarial Schools (61141)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Cooperative Education (Co-op) Technical Universities (EDAHAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs) (EDAHAHAA)

Keywords

• Automotive business education
• Dealership management training
• Automotive industry programs
• Co-op automotive degrees
• Automotive career training

Headquarters

HQ city

Barrie

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Program Fees: Revenue generated from student tuition for diploma and degree programs. The school operates as part of Georgian College's tuition structure for domestic and international students enrolling in automotive business programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Automotive Business School of Canada (ABSC) delivers automotive industry-focused post-secondary education at Georgian College's Barrie Campus. It offers a two-year Automotive Business diploma (Co-op), a four-year Honours Bachelor of Business Administration in Automotive Management (Co-op), and the executive-level Canadian Dealership Academy for general managers and dealer principals. Programs integrate paid co-op work terms with manufacturers, dealerships, and aftermarket organizations across Canada.

Product overview

The Automotive Business School of Canada (ABSC) at Georgian College offers a portfolio of educational programs for the automotive industry. The core offerings include a two-year Automotive Business diploma (Co-op) and a four-year Honours Bachelor of Business Administration in Automotive Management (Co-op). The Canadian Dealership Academy provides executive-level training for general managers and dealer principals. The Georgian College Auto Show serves as a experiential learning platform. These programs are connected through industry partnerships with manufacturers, dealerships, and aftermarket organizations across Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Automotive Business School of Canada (ABSC): A school created by the automotive industry, for the industry, located at Georgian College's Barrie Campus, training the next generation of business leaders in the automotive industry throughout Canada.
• Canadian Dealership Academy (CDA)
• Georgian College Auto Show

Products and services

• Automotive Business (Co-op) Diploma Two-year diploma program for prospective post-secondary students, providing automotive industry experience with up to 12 months of paid co-op work terms and offering pathways to further education in automotive management.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Global Automakers of CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association representing global automotive manufacturers in Canada. Supports ABSC curriculum development and provides industry insights for automotive education programs.
• Canadian Vehicle Manufacturer's Association (CVMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational trade association representing vehicle manufacturers in Canada. Contributes to curriculum development and industry partnerships for the ABSC.
• Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational association representing automobile dealers across Canada. Supports ABSC through curriculum input, scholarships, and student placement opportunities.
• Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational trade association for the automotive aftermarket industry. Supports student participation in industry conferences and provides aftermarket sector expertise for curriculum development.
• Ontario Motor Vehicle Industry Council (OMVIC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory body governing motor vehicle dealers in Ontario. Provides regulatory expertise and industry oversight connections for ABSC programs.
• Provincial Dealer AssociationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial automobile dealer associations across Canada including: BC (New Car Dealers of BC), Alberta (Motor Dealers Association of Alberta), Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario (TADA), Quebec, Montreal, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, and Newfoundland and Labrador. These associations support regional student co-op placements and networking.
• NAFA Fleet Management AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFleet management industry association that supports ABSC by providing conference access for students to learn industry trends and network with fleet professionals.
• KijijiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline marketplace that supports ABSC students by providing conference participation opportunities and industry insights for automotive retail.
• Automotive ManufacturerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor automotive manufacturers supporting ABSC include: Acura, BMW, Chevrolet/Buick/GMC, FCA, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Toyota/Scion, and Volkswagen. These manufacturers participate in the Georgian College Auto Show and provide co-op placement and networking opportunities for students.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WyoTech: WyoTech is a US trade school specializing in automotive, diesel, collision, and refinishing technology. It targets a similar automotive career-oriented student segment but with a more hands-on technical emphasis, overlapping with ABSC's experiential positioning.
• Universal Technical Institute (UTI): UTI is a large US for-profit provider of automotive technician and collision training with manufacturer partnerships (e.g., Ford FACT, BMW). While more focused on technical/technician training than business, UTI competes for the same pool of automotive-minded students and shares the manufacturer-sponsored education model.

Regional players

• Humber College: Humber College is an Ontario public college with automotive and business programs including supplier-based training. It shares ABSC's experiential learning and industry-partnered model within the same Ontario college system.
• Centennial College: Centennial College is a Toronto-area Ontario public college offering automotive programs and business degrees with co-op options. It is a direct in-province competitor for students choosing between automotive-aligned and general business education.
• Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT): NAIT is a Canadian polytechnic with automotive technology and business programs that competes for the same Canadian student pool, including industry co-op placement and OEM partnerships, though with a broader technical rather than business focus.
• Fanshawe College: Fanshawe College is an Ontario public college offering automotive programs including a Motive Power Technician diploma. It competes with ABSC for the same in-province student market and is part of the same Ontario college system.

Direct peers

• McPherson College: McPherson College offers one of the few US bachelor's degrees in automotive restoration management, blending business education with automotive industry experience. Its small specialized program with industry ties is highly comparable to ABSC's BBA in Automotive Management.
• Northwood University: Northwood University's DeVos-Zuidema Center for Automotive Business is a US-based post-secondary program offering bachelor's degrees in automotive marketing and management with strong industry co-op and manufacturer relationships, directly comparable to ABSC's automotive business degree offering.

Emerging players

• Weber State University: Weber State's Automotive Technology Department offers bachelor's-completion and AAS programs with strong OEM relationships (Ford MLR, Chrysler CAP). It is a public US institution with an industry-sponsored automotive education model similar to ABSC's co-op approach.

Others

• Georgian College: Georgian College is the parent public institution housing ABSC. While not an external peer, it is the organizational host and provides the tuition structure, marketing infrastructure, and complementary programs (business, skilled trades) that frame ABSC's competitive context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/automotive-business-school-of-canada

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Automotive Business School of Canada