How Hands-On Learners Thrive as Transportation Techs

 

How Hands-On Learners Thrive as Transportation Techs

TechForce Foundation’s “Be A Pathfinder” campaign illuminates learning styles

 

A mother and son standing side by side in a garage. Both are wearing safety googles and the mother has her hair pulled back. The two are standing over a disassembled single cylinder engine, each is holding a spark plug. Body language suggests the mother is teaching the son about the spark plugs and the engine. SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — January 19, 2021 — The arrival of the new year means new decisions for students planning their futures. Although the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has thrown many students’ career plans for a loop, the increased time at home allows students and parents to reflect and explore opportunities they might not have considered. One place to start is by discovering a student’s learning style.

Everyone has a learning style, some people are visual learners, some learn best by listening, and some are hands-on — they learn by doing. For these hands-on learners, a career in a hands-on field, such as the high-tech transportation industry not only suits their strengths, but also brings them satisfaction and security.

As many parents spend more time observing their children’s learning in a virtual school environment, they are developing an appreciation for different learning styles. Many hands-on learners struggle in traditional learning environments. However, these children and teens thrive when they engage in educational opportunities that support their strengths, and can put them on the road to successful careers.

TechForce Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes the potential of professional technician careers, provides resources and encourages parents, teachers, and other influential figures to recognize and support technical careers that may be a good fit for hands-on learners.

“For too long, we’ve accepted as truth that a college degree is the only way to get ahead and we’ve overlooked the gifts, talents and significant contributions of students who don’t fit the four-year mold,” says Jennifer Maher, CEO & Executive Director of the Tech-Force Foundation.

“For students who are mechanically minded, and learn best when they’re in action, a quality technical or vocational education can be the path to success.”

As part of its ongoing “Be a Pathfinder” campaign, the Tech-Force Foundation offers a free online assessment to help students (and adults) identify their learning styles, and participants can receive a detailed report with educational and career advice based on their style — visual, auditory, or kinetic.

The campaign encourages students to be “pathfinders” by helping them discover and understand their unique strengths and use that knowledge to choose educational and career paths.

Visit TechForce.org/mypath for the learning styles assessment, as well as more resources for education and career planning.

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About TechForce Foundation
TechForce Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) with the mission to champion students to and through their technical education and into careers as professional transportation technicians. TechForce distributes more than $1.5 million in scholarships and grants annually, thanks to its generous corporate sponsors and donors. It also spearheads a workforce development initiative to help encourage and support more young people to pursue the vehicle technician profession. Learn more at www.techforce.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

 


 

General Motors Supports STEM Education In Pursuit of Global Prosperity

General Motors has shown strong support for TechForce Foundation and our mission to encourage and support students pursuing post-secondary technical education and careers in the transportation industry. Their very generous grant of $140,000 will be poured into three exciting projects: the FutureTech Success SM campaign, tuition scholarships for the UTI Avondale GM Advanced Training program, and a pilot after-school program with the Arizona Science Center.

General Motors places a huge emphasis on its support of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs in seeking to foster economic growth and sustainability among communities worldwide. However, STEM does not just apply to IT or engineering, as many might think, it applies to many other functions within the transportation industry as well. General Motors has recognized this as an opportunity to combine its mission to better communities worldwide with TechForce’s mission to support the technicians of tomorrow.

The transportation industry is growing at an exponential rate, and the need for skilled workers is in high demand. This provides a very promising future for those pursuing careers in the field. “If we can help individuals who are motivated to pursue this kind of challenge discover the industry and get excited about the vast opportunities it holds, we are one step closer to creating the smart, safe, and sustainable communities General Motors has long been dedicated to building,” explains Dan Hancock, retired General Motors Vice President and current President of TechForce Foundation’s Board of Directors.

In working together to achieve this goal, General Motors became one of eight Early Adopters supporting TechForce’s FutureTech Success campaign with a $50,000 donation.

This campaign, set to launch in May 2017, is TechForce Foundation’s surge to fuel the future pipeline of transportation technicians by giving individuals the tools to recognize and foster tactile intelligence, as well as get connected with the industry to discover what opportunities await them.

General Motors’ partnership with FutureTech Success shows its dedication to helping young people find good careers that they are passionate about, and that will provide them with a successful and fulfilling future. The transportation industry is a booming industry, saturated with technological advancements, which will be indispensable in constructing prosperous communities for future generations. General Motors has taken note of the very important role the transportation industry has the potential to play in its STEM-focused pursuit of global prosperity, and has shown incredible foresight in recognizing the future technicians FutureTech Success is purposed with cultivating as the backbone for such growth. General Motors’ support of FutureTech Success and its unwavering dedication to bettering the world through aiding technicians in achieving their dreams is both inspiring and greatly appreciated.

General Motors also donated an additional $40,000 to underwrite a pilot program with the Arizona Science Center as part of the FutureTech Success campaign. This after-school program will provide kids with the opportunity to experience tech in a hands-on, interactive way. “We believe that today’s youth constitute such an important aspect of General Motors’ mission to foster widespread economic growth and prosperity,” adds Hancock. “A program such as this one allows kids the chance to really experience and get excited about tech. An individual with high tactile intelligence, but less of an affinity for a ‘traditional classroom education,’ might get to experience the world of tech and fall in love with a career they didn’t even know existed.”

While General Motors has a specific interest in providing younger individuals with the education and skills vital to building brighter futures, they also make it a priority to come alongside current tech students. General Motors granted TechForce $50,000 dedicated to tuition scholarships for students pursing the GM Advanced Training program at Universal Technical Institute’s campus in Avondale, AZ.

From the very start of an individual’s love for working with their hands, to achieving the career and lifestyle they have always wanted, General Motors has committed to doing whatever it takes to help create widespread stability and prosperity. When today’s young people are supported and invested in, the future holds great things. General Motors and TechForce Foundation look forward to fostering such a future through supporting both current and future technicians as they pursue the education and careers of their dreams.

 


TechForce Foundation is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit that encourages and supports students pursuing post-secondary technical education and careers in the transportation industry. The Foundation distributes more than $1.5 million in scholarships and grants annually, thanks to its generous corporate sponsors and donors. For more information visit

www. techforce.org

General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world’s largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at

http://www.gm.com

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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