Ford Announces Scholarship Program for Aspiring Automotive Technicians

• Ford announced a $1 million scholarship fund for aspiring automotive technicians, according to a release.
• The scholarships are available to auto or auto and diesel technician training programs in the Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and Phoenix areas.
• Students need to have a completed FAFSA with an expected family contribution of under $30,000 to qualify for the program.
• Officials highlighted a nationwide automotive technician shortage in announcing the scholarship program.

Students from low-income backgrounds who want to become automotive technicians now have access to the new $5,000 Ford Auto Tech Scholarship amid a nationwide worker shortage.

The Ford Auto Tech Scholarship is available to both current and future students enrolled in auto or auto and diesel technician training programs in the Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and Phoenix areas, according to a press release from the philanthropic Ford Motor Company Fund. That scholarship includes $5,000 in tuition, or $2,500 per semester, for eligible students.

Students can qualify for the scholarships if:

• They are a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident, or have approved Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status.
• They are an enrolled future student or a current student in good standing at a postsecondary institution.
• They have a completed and approved Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with an expected family contribution under $30,000 on file at their campus.

"As we move toward an electrified future, these career opportunities are exciting and require skilled technicians who are proficient in STEM-related study," Elena Ford, chief customer experience officer at Ford Motor Co., said in the release.

"Working together with the Ford Fund and our dealers to offer this scholarship program means we will welcome a new generation of diverse students to the industry, and hopefully into our Ford family, to help us better serve our customers."

The scholarships are administered through the nonprofit TechForce Foundation, according to the release. Eligible students can apply for the scholarship online.

"These scholarships will go a long way in engaging students, particularly those from under-resourced communities, to consider careers in automotive technology and service," TechForce CEO Jennifer Maher said in the release.