About Us
Our Purpose & Mission
TechForce powers technical careers so communities thrive.
TechForce™ is a community of students, working techs, educators, industry and donors committed to helping people find a technical education and career that fits (Hence the name “Tech-Force”). Our mission is to champion all students to and through their technical education and into careers as professional technicians.
TechForce Foundation is the only nonprofit 501(c)(3) committed to the career exploration and workforce development of professional technicians across all sectors including (but not limited to) automotive, aviation, collision, diesel (trucking, agriculture, construction, heavy-duty, stationary engines, and rentals), fleets, HVAC, marine, motorcycle, motorsports, restoration, welding, and emerging technologies.
TechForce inspires people to explore the technician profession; supports students obtaining the technical education needed to be workforce-ready; and connects techs to resources, mentors and employers to thrive in their careers.
As a public charity, TechForce is funded by donations from corporations, foundations and individuals.
Our Impact
$18M
scholarships and grants awarded since 2007
200,000
students awarded and impacted since 2007
16.5%
of scholarships & grants awarded to Veterans
1,200+
official school partners in TechForce
TechForce Advisory Councils
Instructors Advisory
Council
The voice of high schools and post-secondary technical school instructors across the country.
National Leadership Cabinet
Top tier strategic alliance partners have a front row seat to solving the technician shortage.
TechForce Board of Directors
Jon Vesely
Chairman
Partner, Vesely Investment Partners (Arizona)
Angie Babin
Immediate Past President
Vice President
OEM Partnerships and Strategy
OEM Partnerships and Strategy
Denise Kingstrom
Vice Chair
Supply Chain Director, Coatings Solutions, BASF Corporation (Michigan)
Chris Adams
Treasurer
Senior Vice President, Discount Tire (Arizona)
David Ellis
Secretary
Owner, Ellis Automotive, LLC (Illinois)
Jennifer Maher
Ex-Officio
CEO, TechForce Foundation (Arizona)
CHris Blanchette
Director
CEO, Service Minds
MARK FERNER
DIRECTOR
Senior Manager, Technical Operations, Bridgestone Retail Operations (Tennessee)
Paul Halsch
Director
CEO, Top Down Automotive, Inc.
Matt Hartford
DIRECTOR
President & CEO, Total Seal (Arizona)
Barrington Irving
DIRECTOR
Founder, Flying Classroom / BITTS (Florida)
michelle Johnson
DIRECTOR
Retired, Nissan Motor Corporation (Tennessee)
Dave Smith
DIRECTOR
Principle, DFG Group, LLC (Missouri)
William Willetts
DIRECTOR
Vice President North America, Snap-on Industrial (Wisconsin)
Donor Spotlight: Ford Motor Company
New Ford Tech and TechForce
Ford Motor Company selected TechForce to administer all its technician Ford FACT and Ford ASSET scholarships across the U.S. Additionally, Ford enthusiastically activates TechForce’s promotions via its dealerships nationwide.
Strategic Alliance Partners
$1,000,000+ annually
$250,000+ annually
$100,000+ annually
Ford Dealers – Cincinnati North
Ford Dealers – Illinois
Ford Dealers – Kansas City
Ford Dealers – South Florida
Ford Dealers – Mid-South/Memphis
Ford Dealers – North Texas
Ford Dealers – Southeast Michigan
Ford Dealers – Seattle
Ford Dealers – Baltimore / Washington DC
Ford Dealers – Carolina
Ford Dealers – Houston
Ford Dealers – Mountain States
Ford Dealers – New England
Ford Dealers – North Florida
Ford Dealers – Northeast Ohio
Ford Dealers – Northwest
Ford Dealers – Southeast
Ford Dealers – Southern California
Ford Dealers –
St. Louis
St. Louis
Ford Dealers – Twin Cities
Ford Dealers – Desert
$50,000+ annually
$20,000+ annually
Vesely Family Foundation
David W. Ellis
Margaret Dunning Foundation
John & Bernadette Heenan
Media Partners
Annual TechForce Donors
TechForce Providers $10,000+ annually
- Cooper Companies, Inc
- Steve DeMarzio
- Dorman Products
- Hendrick Motorsports
- Penske Foundation Inc.
- Smith Family Foundation
- GEARWRENCH / Apex Tool Group
- 23XI Racing
TechForce Educators $5,000+ annually
Auto Care Association / AAPEX Show
National Technical Honor Society
- JR Motorsports
Robert Shillington Farms
- Robert Torcolini & Lynn Silan
- Rush Truck Centers
- Empire Auto Parts
- Mecum Auctions
- MOTOR Information Systems
- Team Penske
TechForce Champions $1,000+
annually
- Donald Ableson
- Chris and Ann-Marie Adams
- Austin Healey Association of So. Ca.
- Angie Babin
- Barrett-Jackson
- Patrick Bennett
- Jennifer Bergeron
- Rajeev Brown
- JGR
- Chris Blanchette
- Mark Clark
- Mark Ferner
- John Grant
- Paul Halsch
- Harbor Freight
- Matt Hartford
- Hightower Aspell Charitable Fund
- Michelle Johnson
- Denise Kingstrom Fernandez
- Tom Kinsman
- Kristin Labonte
- Jennifer & Greg Maher
- Mary Mahoney
- Steven McElfresh
- Mercedes-Benz of Scottsdale
- Cheo Ramsey
- Greg Rintala
- Michael Romano
- Mackenzie Roughgarden
- Kim Savich
- Gregory Settle
- Richard & Sheryl
Sheiner
Philanthropic Fund - Anthony Stewart
- James Stewart
- Roshonda Stewart
- Trackhouse Racing
- Donna Turner
- Jared Vesely
- Jeremy Wheaton
- William Willetts
- Nicole Wills
- Regina Wong
In Memorium Funds
- William “Willy” Bertoti
- Terry Emig
- John F. Weinberger
- Andrew VanGorder
- Justin E. Beutel
- John E. Leao II
- Admiral Thomas Hayward
- Bobby Bove
- Daniel W. Gruber
- Matthew W. Madole
- Brienne Davis
- Springfield Foundation for the
Richard “Pup” Conklin Motorcycle Mechanics Scholarship Fund - David, Brian and Kevin Reid Memorial Fund
Media Collaborators
Association & Nonprofit Partners
Celebrity Ambassadors
Special Collaborators
Collaborators
- Advance Auto Parts
- Cythero VR
- Hunter Engineering Company
- Schwartz Advisors
- Laura Goodman
- David Morton
- Gregory Settle
- Quorum I.T., LLC
News & Publications
REPORTS &WHITE PAPERS
Annual Technician Supply & Demand Report and Women Techs Rock whitepaper.
FAQs -
ABOUT US
What is TechForce’s mission?
Our mission is to champion all students to and through their education and into careers as professional technicians.
What is TechForce's purpose?
We power technical careers so communities thrive.
How is TechForce structured?
TechForce is an Arizona nonprofit corporation designated by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Contributions are tax deductible. TechForce staff, consultants and volunteers work remote, nationwide to power the technician workforce. We are directed by a 15-member, volunteer board of directors comprised of industry professionals, working and retired techs, technical educators, and philanthropists.
How long has TechForce been in existence?
TechForce was founded in 2005 and began operations in 2007 as the Universal Technical Institute Foundation. For the first eight years, it existed as a scholarship and grant organization, supporting financially-disadvantaged students who chose to attend a UTI campus. In 2014, the charity’s board of directors elected to expand its mission to do more to solve the technician shortage and support students everywhere. In 2016, the organization changed its name to TechForce Foundation, expanded its scholarships to support students attending any post-secondary technical program, and entered into strategic alliances to fuel career exploration and workforce development for students starting in middle- and high-school. Today, TechForce is a fully independent, autonomous not-for-profit, helping tens of thousands of students from more than 1,000 schools nationwide find a technical education and career that fits.
How does TechForce help students?
TechForce helps students who love working with their hands and are interested in exploring the technician career to learn more about the profession, find technical schools, scholarships and grants, mentors, apprenticeships, jobs and successful careers.
What are TechForce's programs and services?
TechForce 1) promotes the professional by sharing information, resources and marketing that reframes the technician profession and dispels myths and stigmas; 2) provides hands-on experiences to engage students with auto/diesel technology, explore the career and get workforce ready; and 3) awards more than $4.0 million annually in scholarships and grants to support technical education (students, schools and fellow nonprofits). Additionally, TechForce collaborates with businesses, schools, associations and nonprofits offering additional workforce development solutions and connects students to all these valuable resources through TechForce’s online career hub.
If you need help logging in or with TechForce™, simply click on the green HOW CAN WE HELP button in the lower right part of your screen. Our technical team will get back to you more quickly than contacting us by phone or email.
