Jan. 20, 2023—Enterprise Holdings and Ford have announced an expansion to their Collision Engineering Program partnership, bringing the apprenticeship model to a seventh school.
According to a press release, the location of the new school will be announced in the coming months. The program will follow in the footsteps of the other CEP schools, offering a two-year apprenticeship designed to train the next generation of technicians. The Ford Fund offers scholarships and also financial support to the program itself.
"This is an exciting time to support students pursuing careers in collision engineering," said Mike Schmidt, economic mobility director at Ford Motor Company Fund, via the press release. "As the auto industry is rapidly evolving, the need for bright minds who are passionate about technical careers becomes greater every day. Partnerships like these allow us to drive progress more quickly, and with a greater impact, for the next generation of engineers."
In addition to classroom learning, students also learn in real-world shop environments. The CEP is also working with the TechForce Foundation to administer Ford Fund scholarships.
"This collaboration enables even more students who are passionate about the collision engineering field to pursue their dreams," said Jennifer Maher, executive director of TechForce Foundation, via the press release. "Cars today are computers on wheels, and the technology is advancing rapidly. It takes a highly skilled technician—an engineer—who can properly service the paint and body, calibration and mechanics required to ensure the repair and safety of the vehicle. TechForce is honored to partner with CEP and Ford Fund to administer the Ford Fund scholarships."
