The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) 2018 grant and scholarship application period now is open to high school and postsecondary collision students who will be attending career and technical schools and colleges in the fall.
The foundation and its industry supporters offer more than $200,000 in grants and scholarships annually, as part of their mission to promote collision repair education and create quality candidates for entry level job opportunities.
“The scholarship has been a blessing in relieving some of my financial obligations while in school so that I can complete my degree,” said Scotty George, a 2017 CCC scholarship recipient.
“With my apprenticeship throughout the education, I feel that I will be that much farther ahead when graduation comes and I am able to pursue a full time job as a technician rather than just a helper.”
George will graduate this spring with a bachelor of science in technology management with an emphasis in collision repair technology, and currently is employed at a collision repair center as a paint-shop prepper and body man’s assistant.
“The benefit of learning about the field in school and the exposure to the projects and tools used in the classroom is that then they go with me to work in the afternoon for real world experience,” George said. “This has really helped solidify the things that I’ve been learning and helping me get ahead and even help teach my classmates from my real world experience. As awesome as this opportunity has been though, an apprentice-type position doesn’t pay much, especially when you only get to work a couple of hours a day. It would have been near impossible to continue my education if I had had to solely pay for it myself.”
This year’s opportunities include the following:
- 3M Hire Our Heroes Veteran Scholarships & Tool Grants
- ABRA Auto Body & Glass Tool Grants
- Atlanta I-CAR Committee Scholarships
- Bob Smith Memorial Golf Outing Scholarships
- Caliber Collision Tool Grants
- CCC Michael Salvatore Memorial Student Repair Technician Scholarships
- Collision Repair Education Foundation Board of Trustees Scholarships
- Sears VoTech Tool Grants
- The Lon Baudoux Legacy Scholarships
- Nashville I-CAR Committee Scholarship
- PPG Automotive Refinish Scholarships
- Snap-On Tool Grants
- Tim Clark Memorial Scholarships
Application information for CREF grants and scholarships is posted on the CREF website. This year’s deadline to apply is Feb. 15, and winners are chosen and notified by phone or mail in April and May.
“We are thankful for the collision industry support we receive that enables us to continue our scholarship and grant program for 2018,” said Melissa Marscin, Collision Repair Education Foundation director of grant programs. “We could not offer over $200,000 in awards this year without their generous support. I encourage all students to consider applying as the awards can be life-changing helping students to graduating without debt or with a tool box ready for employment.”
