Nissan North America has donated $250,000 to Universal Technical Institute Foundation to support students who wish to pursue careers as automotive technicians.
The funds will support tuition scholarships, relocation grants and/or emergency funds to help ensure students facing financial hardship complete the Nissan Automotive Technician Training (NATT) program.
The nine-week NATT program provides training to troubleshoot, repair and maintain chassis, climate, drivetrain, electrical and engine systems for Nissan and Infiniti vehicles. Training is offered at Universal Technical Institute’s campuses in Norwood, Mass.; Orlando, Fla.; Houston, Texas; Long Beach, Calif. (beginning this summer); and NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, N.C.
“Nissan has been a long-time supporter of the UTI Foundation, and this contribution demonstrates their continued commitment to education and hands-on learning, and the strong need for trained technicians,” said Jennifer Maher, Executive Director of the UTI Foundation.
“Our contribution to the UTI Foundation allows students needing financial support to join this critical job sector and, importantly, our family of dealerships,” said Nissan Vice President Wally Burchfield, Aftersales Division. “With the support of Nissan, UTI helps prepare these students to have successful, well-paying technical careers, and we are proud of this relationship.”
By the year 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor projects there will be more than 1.2 million jobs in the automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine industries. To meet total demand, the transportation industry will have to fill more than 37,000 technician job openings on average every year. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2014-2024), www.bls.gov, viewed Dec. 8, 2015.)
“As a leader in automotive on-board technology growth, Nissan has supported the UTI Foundation for over seven years with more than $1.2 million in donations,” said Warren DeBardelaben, Director, Dealer Support, Aftersales. “This support is critical to ensuring we have highly qualified technicians available to support our customers with their vehicle service needs. We are truly helping individuals make a difference in their careers and lives.”
