June 24, 2013—Salvage auto auction company Insurance Auto Auctions Inc. (IAA) has partnered with SkillsUSA to help the nonprofit organization prepare secondary and post-secondary students for careers in various trade and technical service occupations.
IAA and its sister company, ADESA, donated $100,000 to SkillsUSA to support leadership development programming. The two companies will sponsor SkillsUSA’s inaugural TAG Tuesday Delegate Training Program, which provides student delegates at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Kansas City, Mo., with leadership and networking opportunities.
“Working closely with an organization such as SkillsUSA is good news for the automotive industry’s future labor force—no matter which side of the car’s life cycle you manage,” Kett said. “This strong partnership enables us to support an important industry group that focuses on developing our nation’s young, future leaders, while enabling us to reach key talent through internship and mentoring opportunities.”
In addition, John Kett, president and chief financial officer of IAA, was appointed to serve as a committee member of SkillsUSA’s Youth Development Foundation. Kett and Donald Hermanek, IAA’s chief client officer and senior vice president, will speak during the upcoming SkillsUSA Conference in front of more than 375 students.
“Through this partnership, SkillsUSA will be able to positively impact more students’ lives by providing access to valuable leadership training through our local chapters, as well as offering important employment opportunities,” said Timothy Lawrence, executive director of SkillsUSA. “Together, all of these initiatives play a critical role in shaping the career paths of our students and help them achieve greater success in their professional lives.”