BASF launches Techs for Tomorrow Scholarship & Industry Experience at SEMA with TechForce Foundation
August 29, 2023 — SOUTHFIELD, MI — Five lucky winners will get the experience of a lifetime at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, thanks to a program that encourages up-and-coming talent. Working in partnership with TechForce Foundation, BASF is now soliciting nominations for its “Techs for Tomorrow.”
“One of the biggest challenges facing the collision repair industry in the next few years is a labor crunch. We need to find talented people to fill the pipeline as jobs open up,” said Joel Johnson, BASF’s vice president of Refinish Coatings. “’Techs for Tomorrow’ is our way to get the next generation excited about the refinish industry, with its opportunities for high-paying, stable careers as painters and body shop technicians.”
“Techs for Tomorrow” is part of BASF’s “Talent for Tomorrow” program that includes scholarships, mentoring, apprenticeships, paint program support for technical schools and initiatives such as Operative Talent focused on attracting talent. “By supporting these students and their technical education, we’re working to make our industry’s workforce sustainable,” said Johnson.
“Techs for Tomorrow” winners will get the chance to walk the floor at the (industry-only, non-public) SEMA show, network with a BASF Refinish team member as well as custom vehicle builders to meet and engage with industry experts. The award also includes a $2,500 scholarship to continue their education in the collision repair industry. Five finalists will get a $500 scholarship.
“TechForce Foundation is excited to expand our partnership with BASF to offer the ‘Techs for Tomorrow’ program,” says TechForce CEO Jennifer Maher. “By offering scholarships, mentorship, and exciting ways to engage with industry, we’re not just shaping careers – we’re nurturing students’ dreams, fostering innovation, and building a resilient workforce that will drive the entire mobility industry forward.”
Nominees must be 18 years or older, enrolled in an accredited collision training program, able to travel to Las Vegas during the SEMA show, and must submit their application through TechForce Foundation.
For more information or apply, visit https://cloud.coatings-marketing.basf.com/techsfortomorrow
About BASF Automotive Refinish
BASF’s Automotive Refinish business manufactures and markets coatings for the collision repair, commercial fleet and automotive specialty markets. Its paint products are supported by technical training programs, advanced color information systems, business management and planning tools. For more information visit http://www.basfrefinish.com
About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 117,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2019. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.
About TechForce Foundation
TechForce Foundation is a national nonprofit, 501(c)(3) with the mission to champion all students to and through their education and into careers as professional technicians. TechForce powers the technician workforce by awarding more than $2.3 million in scholarships and grants annually to financially disadvantaged students; changes perceptions towards this evolving, ‘new collar’ STEM career; and provides local career exploration and workforce development programming. TechForce’s online network of students, working technicians, instructors, employers, industry professionals and enthusiasts committed to championing the technician workforce is the conduit through which the charity delivers its free resources, programs and career hub for the benefit of aspiring technicians. For more information, visit techforce.org. Follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube.
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