Women in Auto Care, a community of the Auto Care Association, announced a new partnership with Garage Gurus to create a new scholarship program for the upcoming Spring 2021 semester. This new program will allow additional funds to be provided to the 2020 scholarship applicants in the technician sector.
Through DRiV’s Garage Gurus initiative, an industry-leading training and support platform created to address the skills gap and technician shortages facing the automotive service industry, Garage Gurus will provide Women in Auto Care with $35,000 to establish the Women in Auto Care/Garage Gurus Scholarship Program, which will create 12 additional scholarships for women working towards a career as a technician.
“Through the Garage Gurus program, we have been a long-time proponent of technician education and development, whether it be through our online, onsite, and on-demand educational training modules, or through our own technician scholarship program,” said Michael Proud, vice president, marketing and commercial operations, DRiV. “Women in Auto Care’s mission is closely aligned with ours, and we realize the importance of supporting female technicians in the industry as we continue to face technician shortages across the country, especially during these tough times.”
“Women in Auto Care is thrilled to partner with DRiV and Garage Gurus to provide extra relief to young women pursuing automotive education this year,” said Olivia Newton, chair, Women in Auto Care. “With all of the challenges 2020 has presented, we know some students have had to put classes on hold. Thanks to Garage Gurus’s generous support, we are able to help ensure that these deserving techs in training can continue to pursue their dreams and stay on track with their career plans.”
Over the past 16 years, the Women in Auto Care Scholarship Program has been able to award more than $560,000 in scholarships to cover tuition, books, and other school-related expenses for female high school and post-secondary students seeking a career in auto care thanks to the continued support of the industry. This new initiative will mark the first time that the program has been able to provide funding for both the fall and spring semesters.
