Eight auto repair technicians received scholarships from Shop4D, a fully integrated shop management system, to attend the VISION Hi-Tech Training & Expo, Mar. 2-5. From a group of both established and aspiring technicians, scholarship winners were selected on criteria specific to their experience, their personal journey to becoming a technician, and their professional growth goals. They were celebrated during a dinner on the final night of the event.
In an ongoing effort to address the technician shortage plaguing the industry, Shop4D is committed to investing in today and tomorrow’s technicians. With the call for applications going out in January, two established technicians and two aspiring technicians were selected to receive class registration, hotel and airfare. Four additional technicians were also chosen to receive airfare.
One of the scholarship winners shared his story and how working on cars not only helped bring him and his stepfather closer together, but it led to him becoming an automotive technician and opening a shop with his stepfather.
Another scholarship recipient recalled a mentor of his who attended VISION every year, sharing valuable notes and course work upon return. Finding automotive technology to be his academic and professional motivator after trying different schools and programs prior, he found the potential in himself to develop a meaningful and successful career. This was his turn to attend VISION.
In his scholarship application, Simon Kimble of Lundstedt Automotive in Fort Collins, Colo., shared his journey to becoming an apprentice. “Even before I got my first car, I was doing oil changes on my parents’ cars,” said Kimble. “I've always appreciated how vehicles are complex collections of fairly simple principles. I'm a lube tech and I want to grow into the type of tech that can rebuild a transmission reliably.” After the event, Kimble was ready to put his new training to work. “This scholarship allowed me to experience VISION first-hand, and I’m sincerely grateful.”
Scholarship recipient Erick Rendon with Absolute Auto in San Luis Obispo, Calif., also shared his story about becoming a technician. “My journey started through wanting to help my family with repair costs on the family vehicles,” said Rendon. “I very much appreciate the opportunity to be here. I’ll take what I learned back to my team to help all our techs get better at what we do.”
