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.
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.
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.
