Auto Care Careers, a program administered by the Auto Care Association, is now accepting applications for the 2018 Auto Care Careers Internship Grant program. This annual program provides financial support for students pursuing internships across the country to gain valuable, real-world education in a variety of careers throughout the auto care industry.
The Auto Care Careers Internship Grant is for college students majoring in programs with direct application to the auto care industry, including engineering, business, communication and information technology (IT). The fund, underwritten by the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA), a segment community of the Auto Care Association, and the University of the Aftermarket Foundation, was created to help ease the financial burden of temporary relocation for students who pursue internships in locations more than 100 miles from their permanent address.
Scholarships are awarded in the amount of $2,500 to contribute to the costs of round-trip travel from the student’s permanent address to the internship location, as well as lodging, utilities and food. Since 2014, the program has awarded 33 grants totaling $82,500.
“At the Auto Care Association, we understand that the ideal internship might not be with a company in the student’s local area, so our Auto Care Internship Grant eases the financial burden for students traveling far from home,” said Bill Hanvey, president and CEO, Auto Care Association. “In addition to helping students interested in pursuing a career in our industry reach their full potential, these grants also support companies in their efforts to recruit the next generation of leaders in the auto care industry. We are truly appreciative of the University of the Aftermarket Foundation and AWDA for helping to fund this important investment in our industry’s future.”
Previous participants in the internship grant have described the hands-on experience they were able to obtain through their internships. Samantha Cotell, a 2017 grant recipient from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, explored an internship opportunity in northern California through The Cobra Experience. “This was an extreme difference for me because originally I am from Cape Cod,” said Cotell. “During my internship, I was helping Cobra Experience with creating a database of all the Shelby Cobras.”
Zeke Marchel, a Federal-Mogul Powertrain intern, gained experience in product development on the company’s heavy-duty pistons team. “I was able to gain knowledge and experience that directly applied to my field of study, materials science and engineering,” said Marchel.
The Auto Care Careers Internship Grant is offering 22 scholarships for 2018. The deadline for priority consideration is April 30, 2018. Interested applicants are required to submit an online application, a college transcript and to write a brief essay about their career goals and why the internship will help them achieve those goals. In addition, applicants are required to submit an Internship Verification Form from the employer, signed by the internship director or hiring manager.
Auto Care Association member companies that currently have an internship program should encourage eligible students to apply for this scholarship.
For more information about the Auto Care Careers Internship Grant program and to access the application, click here or email [email protected].
