The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS), the March Taylor Memorial Fund (MTMF) and Snap-on are working to make sure that those entering into the collision repair industry – and working hard to excel in it – are both recognized and rewarded for their efforts.

For the third consecutive year, SCRS and MTMF have partnered to provide a $1,250 tool scholarship to each of the SkillsUSA National Championship Gold Medalists at the high school and post-secondary levels to help the recipients secure tools they can use as they enter the trade.

Automotive Refinishing recipients awarded include:

• Dylan Ahrndt of Ridgewater College Willmar in Minnesota
• Dylan Wertz of Vanguard – Sentinal Career and Tech Center in Ohio

Collision Repair recipients awarded include:

• Joel Hartstack of Southwestern Community College in Iowa
• Second-time recipient Alan Zimmerman of Vanguard – Sentinel Career and Tech Center in Ohio

“Snap-on is a longtime supporter of SkillsUSA,” said Greg Rintala, national sales manager, Snap-on Industrial – Education Sales. “SkillsUSA along with the technical training programs in high schools and colleges in the USA are part of the solution to the skills gap. Teaming up with SCRS and the March Taylor Memorial Fund to give these winners the professional tools they need will ease their way to learning their craft and performing their job when they get out in the workplace. That should help them lead a successful life with a dignified career supporting themselves and their families.”

“This is a way to fill a very critical gap in the future of our industry,” said SCRS Chairman Kye Yeung. “We need to get kids, and their families to see trades as a viable future, because the country needs talented, ambitious kids to fill the technical roles in working on the highly-sophisticated vehicles we are presented with. We want to honor and encourage the ambition these competitors have demonstrated and I want to see SCRS working to help students like these find really rewarding careers in our industry.”

In 2016, SCRS announced the launch of the SCRS Career Center intending to help students such as those awarded, to be able to post resumes and connect with employers in the industry. The SCRS Career Center was created as part of an extensive network that includes the Auto Care Association and SEMA.

For more information about SCRS, or to join as a member, visit scrs.com, call toll free 1-877-841-0660 or email [email protected].

For more information, or to donate to the March Taylor Memorial Fund, visit marchtaylormemorial.com.