Stellantis Sponsors Automotive Career Scholarships for Indigenous Students

May 28th, 2024 by

 

Stellantis, the automaker behind the Dodge and Ram brands as well as several others, has recently announced a collaboration with the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) to award scholarships to qualifying Native American students in the United States and Canada in automotive education.

 

The three scholarships that will be awarded by this program, each worth up to $20,000 (USD) will help students with tribal memberships to become fully-fledged automotive service technicians, assisting them in purchasing the necessary tools and tuition at a participating Mopar Career Automotive Program (CAP) college or trade school.

 

“Engaging and supporting diverse talent in the pursuit of challenging and rewarding careers in the automotive industry is critical to our long-term strategy and evolution to a mobility tech company,” said Lottie Holland, vice president of diversity, inclusion, engagement and EEO compliance. “Our Indigenous employees and the Indigenous Cultural Opportunity Network business resource group are strong role models promoting the vast opportunities available to the talented Indigenous students who will benefit from these scholarships.”

 

AISES was founded in 1977 and has been offering scholarships like this one since 1981. Designed to promote STEM careers among Indigenous students, these scholarships are available to anyone with a free AISES membership.

 

The Jeep brand, one of Stellantis’s auto brands, is a proud supporter of the Indigenous Cultural Opportunity Network (ICON). Support from Jeep in partnership with ICON played a large role in securing the funding for these scholarships.

 

“The Jeep brand community is very diverse, so we are invested in supporting many of the Stellantis business resource groups that represent the community,” said Bill Peffer, senior vice president and head of Jeep brand North America. “Helping to secure funding for these Mopar CAP scholarships for Indigenous students gives the Jeep brand an opportunity to invest in the future of students who want to follow a career in automotive.”

 

Automotive careers can be lucrative and promising for young people of all backgrounds, opening doors to a fulfilling career without the need to struggle with the costs of a traditional four-year college program. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that an average of 67,700 auto service technicians will be needed to replace those who retire or transfer to different occupations every year through 2032, ensuring an impressive amount of job demand as well. For the three lucky recipients of Stellantis’s new scholarship, there will surely be a rewarding professional life to come after completing a training program at a Mopar CAP school.

 

If you’re interested in learning more about Stellantis’s many programs for investing in the future of the automotive industry, you can continue to read our blog for more information!

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