Icahn Automotive Expands Program Supporting Technician Development
Icahn Automotive has revealed renovated classrooms and hallways at Lincoln Technical Institute’s Philadelphia campus. The classrooms are part of a larger, national Race to 2026 program designed to invest in and support promising future automotive technicians, as they make their way from the classroom to the service bay, according to the company.
Icahn Enterprises owns and operates Philadelphia-founded Pep Boys and Horsham-based auto service providers AAMCO and Precision Tune Auto Care.
The Philadelphia facility unveiling brought together Pep Boys and AAMCO leaders and technicians and administrators, teachers and students from Lincoln Tech. Joseph Medina, an automotive technology student who is anticipated to graduate from Lincoln Tech in January 2020, was presented with a $2,500 scholarship from Icahn Automotive.
Through the Race to 2026 program, Icahn Automotive is encouraging more men and women to pursue viable careers in the skilled trades by partnering with technical training schools like Lincoln Tech; offering scholarships, tuition reimbursement and apprentice programs; and creating internship programs, job placement and continuing education opportunities. The renovated areas at Lincoln Tech feature the latest educational resources and tools, plus inspiring messages and wall graphics such as Find the tools you need, Find your own path and Find out how far you can go.
The Race to 2026 initiative includes close collaboration with leading providers of post-secondary education.
“We’re committed to training tomorrow’s automotive technicians and shifting the perception of the industry so that more students are attracted to this viable career,” said Brian Kaner, Icahn Automotive president of service. “Today we continue the momentum of our program, and look forward to opening more classrooms and creating more programs that will help develop qualified technicians to meet the industry’s demand.”
Additional Icahn Automotive-sponsored learning facilities will be established at other UTI and Lincoln Tech locations nationally, as well as at Alfred State College of Technology. The initiative also includes a scholarship program that will award 12 scholarships to full- or part-time students enrolled in an automotive technician degree and/or certification program at a high school, college or trade school.
Applications will be accepted from March 1 through April 30. Recipients will be announced in June 2019.
