TechForce Sponsors Scholarships for Women Pursuing Technical Careers

TechForce Foundation Sponsors $6,000 in Scholarships for Women Entering the Transportation Industry

TechForce Foundation recently sponsored two $3,000 scholarships for young women pursuing careers in the transportation industry. The scholarships were administered by Women in Auto Care, a partner of the Foundation.

 

When Callie first picked up a wrench she had no idea, “that it would change me and my life forever.”

Callie discovered automotive two years ago, and in that time, has fallen in love with working under the hood. When Callie first picked up a wrench, she says she had no idea, “that it would change me and my life forever.”

 

Unlike Callie, Cassie’s passion for engines goes back as far as she can remember. Whether it was a dirt bike, a truck, or even a snowmobile, you could be certain Cassie was either working on the motor herself or watching and learning from her brother. For years, Cassie worked with her brother every weekend to build, repair and race dirt bikes at competitions.

 

Cassie is enrolled in welding at a college in her home state of Nevada. Her passion for the industry rivals the passion of any artist for their craft. Cassie works to understand metallurgy and strives to become a true master of the trade.

 

Whatever head start Cassie’s early interest in the trade may have had on Callie’s, the two scholarship winners are on equal footing today.

 

Callie graduated high school in June and is registered to begin classes in automotive technology in the fall. While only a month out of high school, Callie has already received ASE certification in brakes, steering and suspension, and manual drive-trains and axles.

 

Knowing this, it should come as no surprise that Callie is president of her local SkillsUSA chapter. She has participated in numerous competitions and is particularly proud of one in which she built and demonstrated her own mock starter circuit.

Cassie has been called a “natural,” a “future master technician,” and a “superstar.”

 

Similarly, Cassie has been called a “natural,” a “future master technician,” and a “superstar” by shop owners and master mechanics alike. When the motor on Cassie’s car failed, she rebuilt it herself. When reflecting on the challenge she said, “It was a wonderful experience to work on my own engine…It was really cool to take a motor that wasn’t running and get it built, back in the truck, and on the road again.” Cassie expects to complete her welding program this summer and will move on to studying diesel technology at another Nevada school in the fall.

 

The $3,000 in scholarships both Cassie and Callie received will help them transition into the next stage of their education where they will learn the skills which will place them in an in-demand and rapidly growing industry.

 

Women are an underrepresented group among auto technicians, and TechForce Foundation is proud to be able to partner with Women in Auto Care to encourage women to pursue the trade. Both Cassie and Callie have what it takes to become top-notch technicians. Congratulations, again, to both scholarship winners.

 


 

Women in Auto Care is comprised of auto care professionals dedicated to providing opportunities, education and career leadership to women in the auto care industry, through networking, mentoring, recruitment, recognition, consumer education, and communicating industry information. To learn more about Women in Auto Care, visit WomeninAutoCare.org

 

TechForce Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with a mission to champion students to and through their education and into careers as professional technicians. For more about TechForce Foundation and its scholarship programs, visit TechForceFoundation.org/scholarships.

 

 

TechForce Collaboration Offers Curriculum Exploring STEAM in Motorsports

 

STEAM Sports Foundation Launches the “STEAM Behind Motorsports” Curriculum

 

(Atlanta, GA, July 18, 2018) – STEAM Sports Foundation, an affiliate of the STEAM Sports Group, recently introduced a six-activity “STEAM Sports Classroom” curriculum about the STEAM Behind Motorsports.  Designed as a two-week study, the curriculum focuses on chassis, data analytics, engine, fuel, nutrition and tires. There are both middle school and high school level programs. The curriculum is provided through a grant by TechForce Foundation® (www.techforce.org) whose mission is to champion students to and through their education and into careers as professional technicians.

 

Created in cooperation with Honda Performance Development, it is written by Dr. Laura Bottomley of N.C. State’s The Engineering Place, who has spent the last 25 years working with integrated STEM curriculum.  She has taught every grade – kindergarten through graduate school – and has been recognized with a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Engineering and Mathematics Mentoring (PAESMEM) at the White House.  She was featured in two national commercials, one during Super Bowl 50 by Chevron, entitled “Doing Good with STEM.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnl79YtItGc)

 

If any school or educator is interested in obtaining the curriculum, please click HERE and follow the instructions provided.  The “STEAM Sports Classroom” curriculum is located on the STEAM Sports Foundation website:  www.steamsportsgroup.com.  There is a $35 fee for the download, a portion of which will go toward STEAM sports scholarships.

 

 

 

Student Pursues Passion with Support from TechForce Ambassador Program

 

Student Pursues His Passion, with Support from TechForce Foundation®

 

Andrew’s dream career is to build custom motorcycles. He stumbled across his passion while growing up in Northern Idaho. Like many future technicians Andrew tinkered with machines, pulling apart dirt bikes to repair them, or just to see how things worked.

 

“I can finally say that I am fully
passionate about my career.”

Over the years Andrew kept his passion alive as a hobby. He worked on dirt bikes and motorcycles in his free time, but it was not until he found himself feeling stuck in his desk job that Andrew decided to make the switch to a career he is passionate about.

 

Andrew initially looked into a more traditional four-year education, but found that classroom learning was not for him. In his own words, Andrew is “a very hands on learner”. Through a stroke of luck, Andrew learned of technical school from a good friend, while helping them work on their motorcycle. Since that day Andrew has not looked back.

 

Andrew is currently enrolled at the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, and feels very optimistic about his future prospects, “Having my degree will open many doors down the road, and I can finally say that I am fully passionate about my career.”

 

Congratulations to Andrew for being awarded a $3,000 tuition scholarship and for being accepted into the TechForce Ambassador program. TechForce Foundation is proud to support Andrew’s technical education in pursuit of his passion and future career.

 

To learn more about TechForce Foundation’s scholarships and grants, visit https://techforce.org/scholarships/


 

 

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"By connecting students, instructors, industry pros and working techs, the TechForce Foundation provides unilateral support to the transportation industry’s technician recruiting needs… The administration of our Scholarships by the TechForce team has been instrumental in delivering us with a successful method to gain interest from qualified candidates as well as provide our students with additional assistance to complete their education."
Tony Farr
Ford Technical Programs Manager