The Caliber family of brands, including Caliber Collision, Caliber Auto Care and Caliber Auto Glass, is highlighting its Technician Apprentice Program (TAP) and partnering with two national nonprofits, TechForce Foundation® and Learning Undefeated, both of which are dedicated to workforce development in the technician field and creation of unique STEM experiences for students from under-resourced communities.
STEM is an educational approach that focuses on one or more of the four disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math. This collaboration features a pilot program that provides hands-on experiences, introducing high school students in Maryland and Texas to Caliber, TAP and career possibilities where students can use the latest technology in the collision repair industry.
The pilot program runs from October through December and features both afterschool and weekend events.
Combining the resources of Caliber Collision centers and Learning Undefeated’s Mobile eXploration Lab (MXLab), students will receive tours, one-on-one demos and interact with experienced Caliber auto body technicians in a live shop environment. Additionally, students will learn about Caliber’s TAP and participate in fun car-related activities such as timed assembly challenges, remote control car racing and more.
“At Caliber, we are committed to inspiring all teammates to reach their full potential. Through our Technician Apprentice Program, we are influencing the next generation of auto body techs and helping students achieve their goals, as well uncover career opportunities, which they may not have previously considered, within Caliber’s supportive culture,” said Caliber President and CEO Mark Sanders. “We are excited to leverage this partnership to expose even more students, teachers and parents to Caliber and TAP.”
“This partnership is a great way to leverage the expertise of our complementary nonprofits combined with Caliber’s commitment to workforce development,” said TechForce CEO Jennifer Maher. “Using our techforce.org platform to promote and engage students, together, we’re introducing them to rewarding careers in collision repair, while leaving a lasting imprint on our communities.”
“There’s power in numbers, and this partnership will benefit thousands of students,” said Learning Undefeated CEO Brian Gaines. “Hands-on learning experiences help open students’ eyes to career possibilities and build excitement about the high-demand field of collision repair.”
Source: Caliber
Abby Andrews