The TechForce Foundation has launched two new scholarships in collaboration with the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) for NTHS members pursuing careers in the skilled trades. The deadline to apply is June 30.

Several industry scholarship awards have also been recently announced by the Carolinas Collision Association (CCA), the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Minnesota (AASPMN), and The Women’s Industry Network (WIN).

Each of the TechForce and NTHS annual scholarships will be $2,500. It will be funded by NTHS and administered by TechForce.

According to a press release from the nonprofits, the partnership will connect students to educational resources and career opportunities.

“TechForce champions students through their education and into technician careers with resources including training content, scholarships and grants, industry connections, and career opportunities made available in the TechForce network,” the release states. “NTHS is the premier honor society celebrating excellence in career and technical education, dedicated to recognizing student achievement and supporting members with resources throughout their educational and professional journeys.”

Jennifer Maher, TechForce Foundation CEO, added that the agreement amplifies the impact of both of the organizations.

“TechForce is eager to connect NTHS’s members with our career-building resources, and prepare students for real-world success in their education and career goals,” she said, in the release. “TechForce is committed to supporting the next generation of technicians at every step of their journey. With partners like NTHS, TechForce inspires students to pursue technical education, supports them through their education, and helps them connect with successful technician careers, so that their communities thrive.”

Peyton Holland, NTHS executive director, added, “At NTHS, we believe that recognizing and supporting students in their technical education journey is essential to building a stronger, more skilled workforce. Our collaboration with TechForce Foundation helps us move forward in that mission. By connecting our members with the TechForce network and resources, and TechForce encouraging participation in NTHS, we’re opening doors for students to gain not only recognition, but also the real-world skills and opportunities they need to thrive in their careers.”

NTHS members can find the scholarship application on the NTHS portal by following the instructions on NTHS.org/TechForce.

During the recent Southeast Collision Conference in Richmond, Virginia, CCA hosted its 2025 Tool Grant Awards Ceremony to celebrate the next generation of skilled technicians in the automotive collision repair industry.

The Tool Grant Program was launched a few years ago by the CCA Trade School Committee to support aspiring professionals by equipping them with the tools and resources they need to succeed. Each year, $2,000 grants are awarded.

“This program has proven to be a tremendous success,” said Board member Avery Canady, in a CCA press release. “One year after our inaugural awards, all eight recipients from the class of 2024 are still thriving in the industry and well on their way to becoming A-plus technicians.”

The 2025 award recipients, joined by their families, instructors, and employers, were honored at the ceremony.

This year’s South Carolina grant recipients were:

• • Aidan Byrne – A student at Greenville Technical College and part-time employee at Twin Lakes Auto Body in Seneca. Aidan is graduating this year and will join Twin Lakes full-time. He also received a training package worth $10,000 to train with Betag.
  • Eric Garcia – Apprentice at D&D Ford Collision Center in Greer, and colleague of 2024 recipient Avery Smith. Known for his dedication and strong peer relationships.
  • Medsia Reyes – Graduate of Swofford Career Center and current team member at Image Collision Express in Duncan. Medsia excells in the paint department and is recognized for her ongoing development and talent.
  • Drew Stenger – Former student at Lexington Technology Center and employee at Kolors By Keisler in Lexington. Supported by strong endorsements from his instructor and employer.

This year’s North Carolina grant recipients were:

• • Aaron Aldridge – Student at Cleveland Community College and technician at Speed Street Collision in Lowell. Known for his lifelong passion for automobiles.
  • Jamal Bastick – Student at Sandhills Community College and employee at Griffin Body Shop in Hamlet. Described as an ideal team member by all references.
  • Skye Livezy – Technician at Excel Body Works in Jacksonville. A trade school graduate who relocated to North Carolina with her Marine husband. Skye has shown rapid growth in the paint department.
  • Jordan Staley – A former truck driver and father of five who transitioned to collision repair for family reasons. Known for his work ethic, integrity, and community involvement, Jordan is on a path to become a standout painter in the industry.

In Minnesota, the AASPMN also announced scholarship awards. This year, it awarded 23 scholarships totaling $19,000 to help automotive service and collision repair students pay for tuition or tools during the 2025-26 school year.

The scholarships are $500 or $1,000 each and made possible by the generous donation from the Minnesota State I-CAR Committee, as well as proceeds from AASPMN’s Annual Race for Automotive Education fundraiser, according to a press release from the association.

Thirty-four college and high school students from 15 schools submitted applications, which were reviewed by a committee of industry representatives.

The recipients are:

• • Matthew Burg, Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount – Collision Repair Technology
  • Brandon Cook, Minnesota North College, Hibbing – Automotive Service Technology
  • Quentin Dukowitz, Dunwoody College of Technology, Minneapolis – Collision Repair Technology
  • Haidyn Emerson, Minnesota State Community. & Technical College, Moorhead – Automotive Service Technology
  • Elijah Eskola, Riverland Community College, Austin – Automotive Service Technology
  • Jaeden Felcyn, Minnesota North College, Hibbing – Automotive Service Technology
  • Matthew Friesen, Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount – Automotive Service Technology
  • DaShawn Hartle, Lake Superior College, Duluth – Automotive Service Technology
  • Zoe Hauswirth, Lake Superior College, Duluth – Automotive Service Technology
  • Daniela Kaufman, Dunwoody College of Technology, Minneapolis – Automotive Service Technology
  • Noah Maki, Lake Superior College, Duluth – Automotive Service Technology
  • Elliot McDill, Lake Superior College, Duluth – Automotive Service Technology
  • Myles McKnight, Hennepin Technical College, Eden Prairie – Collision Repair Technology
  • Nicholas Ostrowski, Lake Superior College, Duluth – Automotive Service Technology
  • Oo Reh, Riverland Community College, Austin – Automotive Service Technology
  • Edward Sandquist, Alexandria Community & Technical College, Alexandria – Diesel/Heavy Duty Mechanics
  • Eh Soe, Century College, White Bear Lake – Automotive Service Technology
  • Yezibel Stepp, Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount – Collision Repair Technology
  • JoAnna Swartwood, Lake Superior College, Duluth – Automotive Service Technology
  • Ava Valley, Hennepin Technical College, Brooklyn Park – Collision Repair Technology
  • Jaime Vasquez, Dunwoody College of Technology, Minneapolis – Automotive Service Technology
  • Abbie Vera, Dunwoody College of Technology, Minneapolis – Collision Repair Technology
  • Joash Youso, Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount – Automotive Service Technology

According to the release, the scholarship awards are the centerpiece of AASPMN’s Automotive Education Fund, which was established to provide financial resources to support automotive students, enhance automotive programs, and raise awareness of career opportunities in the independent automotive service industry.

In April, a record number of 40 recipients took home this year’s WIN Student Scholarship Awards.

The recipients were chosen from nearly 120 students, another record-breaking number, where select recipients received extensive tool kits and/or scholarship funds, according to a WIN press release.

The scholarships are presented annually to deserving students enrolled in post-secondary collision repair technology programs. WIN partnered with the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) again this year to expand its reach to those looking for a career in collision repair.

“WIN’s Student Tuition and Scholarship Program awards worthy recipients on two financial levels, ranging from $500 up to $2,500, based on the selection team’s evaluation of their application and the review process,” said Laura Kottschade, 2025 WIN Student Relations Committee chair, in the release. “Those awarded can also receive well-stocked new tool kits, which are valued at more than $500.

“Those top scholarship recipients, receiving both tuition monies and tools, were acknowledged at our ‘Champions’ and ‘Stars’ levels. And, because we had so many applicants, last year two new scholarship categories were added, ‘Trailblazers’ and ‘Legends,’ where an additional 30 recipients were awarded either a financial stipend or a full tool kit.”

All award recipients and applicants will be eligible to join WIN’s mentoring program, where they participate in student engagement group calls and share best practices with collision industry professionals as well as their peers. The networking groups will support new female entrants to the collision repair field and aim to create lifetime friendships that further WIN goals for longer-term career advancement and retention, the release says.

As a part of the application process, each WIN scholarship applicant registered for and received a complimentary WIN student membership. WIN also supports collision repair instructors with access to free WIN memberships through its “Pay It Forward” campaign.

WIN Scholarship recipients:

• • Sandra Arevalo Ramos, Martinez, California (Contra Costa College)
  • Leah Clark, Wilkesboro, North Carolina (Wilkes Early College High School)
  • Annabell Hernandez-Guerrero, Omaha, Nebraska (Metropolitan Community College)
  • Amber Jackson, Lubbock, Texas (South Plains College)
  • Amber Lund, Ironton, Missouri (Arcadia Valley Career Tech Center)
  • Ayline Maqueda Flores, Lewiston, Idaho (Lewis-Clark State College)
  • Aryanna Sollis, Grayslake, Illinois (College of Lake County)
  • Ashley Urena, Las Vegas, Nevada (College of Southern Nevada)
  • Miranda Vanek, Prague, Nebraska (Northeast Community College)
  • Amariah Wright Jonesboro, Arkansas (Jonesboro High School)

Trailblazers recipients:

• • LaWanda Cherry, Houston, Texas (Universal Technical Institute)
  • Alice Cook, Allen, Texas (Collin College Technical Campus)
  • Jamie Cornett, Paris, Tennessee (Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology)
  • Kiersten Gloss, Fredonia, New York (Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES)
  • Mariana Gutierrez, Bakersfield, California (Houston Community College)
  • Kylie Kasievich, Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania (Steel Center Tech)
  • Alexa Rogers, Paris, Tennessee (Henry/Carroll TCAT)
  • Ashley Schuler, Royersford, Pennsylvania (Western Montgomery Career and Technology Center)
  • Briana Seward, Leesport, Pennsylvania (Berks Career and Technology Center)
  • Mollie Tucker, Milan, Ohio (EHOVE Career Center)

Legends recipients:

• • Suehey Barajas, Lewiston, Idaho (Lewis-Clark State College)
  • Lindsey Champ, Oregon City, Oregon (Clackamas Community College)
  • Stephanie Correll, New Orleans, Louisiana (Delgado Community College)
  • Hayli Edwards, San Pablo, California (Contra Costa College)
  • Mayci Grinnell, Idaho Falls, Idaho. (Technical Careers High School)
  • Ashley Hainline, Pocatello, Idaho (Idaho State University)
  • Sheree Kenon, Raleigh, North Carolina (Wake Technical Community College
  • Cloud Kline, Windsor, Colo. (Aimes Community College)
  • Alexandra Kovalenko, Oregon City, Oregon (Clackamas Community College)
  • Samantha Madrigal, Logansport, Indiana (Logansport, High School)
  • Isabella Mendoza, Phoenix, Arizona (Gateway Community College)
  • Marisa Meyer, Lakewood, Colorado (Warren Tech Central)
  • Jacqueline Nguyen, Portland, Oregon (Portland Community College)
  • Tessa Pauley, Columbus, Ohio (Fort Hayes Arts & Academics High School Career Center)
  • Erika Selman, Indianapolis, Indiana (Lincoln College of Technology)
  • Taylor Skretteberg, Bellingham, Washington (Bellingham Technical College)
  • Alexandra Snodgrass, Nashville, Tennessee (Lincoln College of Technology)
  • Shania Taylor-Harbor, Bakersfield, California (Regional Occupational Center: Collision Lizarraga)
  • Dusty VanHyfte, Indianapolis, Indiana (Lincoln Technical Institute)
  • Addison Zick, Williamsport, Pennsylvania (Henry/Carroll TCAT)

Funds to support the scholarship program come from various sponsors, WIN’s general fund, and WIN’s scholarship walk.

Christina Sepulveda and Pam Watson, WIN scholarship fundraising co-chairs, said the annual Scholarship Walk and Scholarship Fundraiser have again been separated to simplify and increase participant involvement.

They noted there is still the opportunity to donate to the scholarship cause with fundraising open through Oct. 31.

WIN has partnered with RallyUp to create the WIN Scholarship Fundraiser, which supports women who will join the collision repair industry as technicians.

Images

Featured image provided by TechForce Foundation