Memphis, TN — AutoZone, Inc. has announced the second annual “AutoZone Future Technician Scholarship” winners. The $10,000 automotive industry-focused scholarship was divided among the gold, silver and bronze medal winners of the SkillsUSA National Championship Automotive Service Technology competition held in Kansas City, MO on June 23, 2005.
“The AutoZone Future Technician Scholarship was created to provide incentive to high school students seeking post-secondary educations, help build automotive career option awareness and infuse highly-qualified professionals into the workforce,” said Bill Rhodes, president and CEO of AutoZone. “One of the most effective ways to achieve those goals is to support and cultivate educational opportunities for future automotive professionals. This scholarship gives us the opportunity to make a profound and positive impact on the future of the automotive industry.”
Competitors in the Automotive Service Technology contest were given the chance to showcase their skills at 11 different test stations. Testing was based on tasks outlined by the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) and the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF). The eleven workstations consisted of on-vehicle, simulator board and bench component testing, culminating in a comprehensive written exam. The AutoZone Future Technician Scholarship winners include:
- Gold Medal – John Washburn of Warwick Career Tech Center in Warwick, RI
- Silver Medal – Bradley Hettinger of Berks Career & Tech Center in Leesport, PA
- Bronze Medal – Eric Soucy of Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, KS “We are very pleased to join with AutoZone in creating this scholarship,” said Eric Gearhart, SkillsUSA’s director of business and industry partnerships. “As an official sponsor, AutoZone continues to demonstrate that corporate citizenship is alive and thriving. We need to revitalize technical education in this country, and AutoZone is stepping up to the challenge.”
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