TOPDON USA announced its agreement with Northeast Texas Community College (NTCC) to help educate students attending the Carroll Shelby Automotive Program. Through the company's global TOP-UP program, the company has donated over $250,000 in cash and products to prepare the next generation of skilled automotive technicians through education, training, and product donations worldwide.
"It's exciting to watch our TOP-UP program grow across the U.S. to include one of the most iconic names in automotive racing, design, and manufacturing, Carroll Shelby," said Chad Schnitz, vice president of TOPDON USA. "It’s an honor to partner with the Northeast Texas Community College in support of Carroll’s vision to support the next generation of automotive technicians through the Carroll Shelby Automotive Program.”
The announcement, made in the TOPDON booth during the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, was attended by Dr. Jon McCullough, executive vice president at NTCC, as well as students from the Carrol Shelby Automotive Program. Students at the press conference were presented with a complimentary TopScan PRO. TOPDON also presented almost 100 students from the TechForce Foundation who attended this year's AAPEX Show with a TopScan Pro diagnostic tool.
"Carroll Shelby was committed to giving young people an opportunity to improve their lives through a career in the automotive industry," said McCullough. "That's why it's so exciting to team up with companies like TOPDON who share Carroll's vision by helping students gain the training they need in automotive repair. Their team will provide us with their state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and support educational initiatives with our students. I'm confident that Carroll would have welcomed TOPDON's efforts to support the students enrolled in our program."
In 2007, the Carroll Shelby Automotive Program was created and designed to prepare students for the workforce and offers degrees and certificates to help students meet their career goals. Students are trained in the basics of automotive knowledge with input from industry partners to prepare automotive technicians for the future.
TOPDON's TOP-UP program was created in 2022 to support community colleges and trade schools, as well as programs at higher learning institutions dedicated to building up the automotive trade workforce. The two-year agreement with NTCC includes a donation of TOPDON's professional series of tools including jump starters, power supply, thermal cameras, and diagnostic scan tools, as well as product discounts for students and alumni of the college.
