Since 2015, Maplewood High School in Nashville has teamed up with Bridgestone to establish an onsite automotive training program called Automotive Training Center. Over 130 students have since graduated from the training program, including nearly a dozen students just last week, according to WPLN News.
To honor this year's top 10 students from the program, Bridgestone held an awards ceremony and luncheon at their headquarters in downtown Nashville and invited the student's family.
The program’s top three students received professional technician toolkits, and one student was offered a position as a part-time employee at a local Firestone Complete Auto Care store, according to a press release from Bridgestone.
“Now more than ever, the automotive industry needs skilled professionals to help care for customers and deliver trusted service,” said Marko Ibrahim, president, Bridgestone Retail Operations, in the press release. “These students represent a bright future for our industry. We are proud to celebrate their successes and look forward to the contributions they will make in the Nashville community and beyond.”
The four-year program was developed in response to the nationwide automotive technician shortage and utilizes an onsite, fully functioning Firestone Complete Auto Care store to allow students the opportunity to practice the skills they've learned in the classroom.
Many of the students from the program over the years have been hired as teammates in local Firestone Complete Auto Care stores.
