When it comes to supporting automotive programs, students, and instructors, it’s easy enough to think of the many large foundations out there. But there are many more organizations with the goal of providing support, scholarships, training, and other resources in the hopes of engaging youth and providing the necessary tools to help the automotive industry address skills gaps and technician shortages.
We’ve compiled a short list of seven organizations that provide support in various ways.
North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT)
NACAT is an organization that includes secondary, post-secondary, and industry automotive educators with the goal of exchanging educational materials, training, and support. NACAT hosts automotive training conferences each year in July.
ASC Educational Foundation (ASCEF)
ASCEF supports educational opportunities for automotive students and offers various scholarships and endowments.
The RPM Foundation
The RPM Foundation supports restoration training programs and encourages students who want to pursue preservation and restoration as a viable career path. The foundation also provides grants to educational institutions.
TechForce Foundation
TechForce Foundation aims to increase awareness and enthusiasm for technical careers, support education, and connect future technicians with the automotive industry. The organization also provides scholarships and resources to help encourage and inform students.
ATC Auto Talent Co-Op
ATC’s main goal is to unite resources within the automotive industry and define career paths through an app. The hope is that this kind of accessible platform will engage both current and future talent, which will lessen technician shortages.
Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation (AWAF)
AWAF raises funds and awards academic scholarships in an effort to support women who are entering or advancing careers in the automotive industry. By doing so, AWAF aims to sustain diversity within the industry.
International Automotive Technicians Network (iATN)
This organization consists of over 85,000 active members with more than two million years of combined experience. Members share their knowledge with each other on over a dozen forums and have recently started granting free student accounts to the students of member instructors. These free accounts allow students to view forum conversations, although they aren’t allowed to interact. Allowing them this exposure is a great way for students to learn from experienced techs.
If you're looking for more useful resources and tips from CDX, stay up-to-date by subscribing to our blog.