The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) announced that five collision repair educational programs will receive Benchmark Grants, funded by the Enterprise Holdings Foundation:
- Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical High School (Fitchburg, Mass.)
- Greater Lowell Technical High School (Tyngsboro, Mass.)
- Union County Career and Technology Center (Union, S.C.)
- Woolard Technology Center (Camden, S.C.)
- Greenville Technical College (Greenville, S.C.)
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Enterprise Holdings, which operates the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands. Employees within the Enterprise Holdings global network are encouraged to submit grant applications, and Enterprise supports initiatives, like those funded by CREF, that are important to its industry partners.
“As an industry leader and partner to many throughout the collision, insurance and automotive industries, Enterprise has a responsibility to invest in the future of automotive repair,” said Mary Mahoney, vice president of the Replacement & Leisure Division at Enterprise. “That’s why we’re pleased to support CREF’s Benchmark Grants, which are designed to help underfunded collision education programs elevate the caliber of training offered to ensure graduates are prepared to successfully begin their careers in the industry.”
As evidence of this commitment, last year Enterprise announced the launch of the Collision Engineering Pilot Program with foundational support provided by the Enterprise Holdings Foundation. The program — designed to attract and develop entry-level talent to fill essential roles within the collision repair industry and enhance retention and advancement among collision repair technicians — is piloting at four technical schools across the country.
The Collision School Career Readiness Benchmark Grants recognize schools that excel at educating students in collision repair, but due to strained school budgets, the programs require additional financial assistance. Recipient schools use these funds to provide the tools, equipment and supplies necessary to enhance their students’ learning experience and elevate the caliber of their graduates, ensuring that graduates are prepared to successfully enter the workforce upon graduation. Applications for the 2022 Collision School Career Readiness Benchmark Grants will be available online in January 2022.
Industry members interested in getting involved and supporting CREF’s efforts to assist secondary and post-secondary collision repair training programs should contact Brandon Eckenrode, managing director, at (312) 231-0258 or [email protected]. Monetary donations can be made online.
