GM sending 14 students to Sinclair for free to fill workforce needs

Fourteen students will be able to go to college for free at Sinclair because of General Motors scholarship.

Fourteen students will be able to go to college for free at Sinclair because of General Motors scholarship.

Fourteen Sinclair students will receive full-tuition scholarships through a partnership with General Motors.

The first class of the GM Dealer Technician Scholarship will launch this fall, including co-op experiences at area Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac dealership. The students will work with experienced technicians to learn hands-on how to repair and maintain vehicles.

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“The automotive industry is a growing and high in-demand field,” said Steve Johnson, president of Sinclair Community College. “Through this partnership with GM, we will be able to create a cost-effective and accessible career pathway for students.”

Automotive companies have suffered from a shortage of employees for years, worsening as unemployment drops and there’s a smaller pool to pull from. The auto makers have been working to incentivize young people to join the field and stay with companies.

The scholarships are expected to land students full-time jobs at GM dealerships directly after graduation.

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“We’re tearing down the barriers that stand in the way of people pursuing these good-paying, high-tech jobs,” said Terry Rhadigan, executive director of GM Corporate Giving. “After two years, we want people to hit the ground running, so we will help them get a quality education, technical training and hands-on experience without the burden of student loans.”

Nearly 95 percent of students enrolled in Sinclair’s ASEP program are employed in the automotive field within one month of graduation.

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