TROY, Mich. — Recognizing the current hardships faced by displaced automotive professionals, SAE International is offering tuition-free educational classes at its Automotive Headquarters in Troy, Mich., during the months of February and March.

Any unemployed automotive professional is eligible for the program. Tuition is free, but there will be a $50-per-day, per-class materials fee for non-SAE International members. SAE International members’ fee is reduced to $25. Eligible professionals may attend as many classes as they like during the two-month period.

"Given the present condition of the automotive industry, we want to provide an opportunity for those engineers and allied professionals who have lost their jobs to quickly re-position themselves or bolster their resumes for re-employment," says Kevin Perry, manager of SAE Professional Development.

To register for classes through the program, contact SAE Customer Service at 1-877-606-7323 (U.S. and Canada only) or 1-724-776-4970 (outside U.S. and Canada). The SAE Professional Development schedule is available at www.sae.org/events/training/seminars; click on "Seminars by Date."

Individuals who attend courses that include textbooks, software packages or SAE Standards and Papers, may opt to purchase those additional resources separately. All tuition-free seats are on a space-available basis. Webinars and e-Learning programs are not included in this program.