Sarasota, FL.: For those looking for an on-ramp to a career with upward mobility, CareerEdge Funders Collaborative has partnered with a consortium of eight local automotive dealerships to provide a fast-track pathway to becoming an automotive technician. Given the shortage of mechanics, CareerEdge worked with Suncoast Technical College (STC) to create an “express program” in the evenings so that entry-level employees can receive both on-the-job as well as classroom training.
Participating employers include: Gettel Automotive, Sunset Auto Group, Peterson Toyota of Sarasota, Venice Honda, Wilde Automotive, Sarasota Mitsubishi, and Howard Lincoln and Mazda. These organizations will hire individuals with no experience at $12 per hour for full or part-time trainee positions. The new hires must then attend the mandatory, free 11-week automotive training program at STC’s Beneva Road campus on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., from August 21 to October 30.
“This is the third class of its kind CareerEdge has developed and is thrilled to have eight dealerships on board to offer individuals this rapid pathway to a career with strong wages and advancement opportunities,” says CareerEdge Executive Director Mireya Eavey. “The automotive industry has really come together to solve the labor shortage with their willingness to invest in entry-level workers.”
Once participants complete the 11-week class, they will be paid $13 per hour full time with benefits and have the potential for additional industry certifications and growth at the dealerships. Average wages for mechanics are between $40,000 and $50,000, with some earning upwards of six figures.
The training, which is funded by Gulf Coast Community Foundation donor Walt Eppard, is a revised version of the college’s year-long program and includes CareerEdge’s Bridges to Careers soft skills training, as well as financial education class.
No experience is required for this training and all interested applicants should apply directly to any or all of the participating dealerships using their online employment portals. These organizations will screen and choose their new hires and then approve them for the funded evening class. All inquiries should be made directly to these employers.
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About CareerEdge Funders Collaborative
CareerEdge is an innovative partnership of business, government, and philanthropic organizations that leverages public and private dollars to provide opportunities for better jobs and wages in Manatee and Sarasota counties. The first regional collaborative of workforce investors in the southeastern United States to be designated as a site of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions, CareerEdge was created with funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, City of Bradenton Central Community Redevelopment Agency, Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Bank of America, Bradenton 14th Street Community Redevelopment Agency, Bradenton Downtown Development Authority, and Manatee Community Action Agency. It is also supported by contributions from the Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation, The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, Microsoft, Sarasota County Government, Jane’s Trust, JP Morgan Chase, Scheidel Foundation, Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg, The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce and United Way Suncoast. For more information about CareerEdge and its partners, please visit www.careeredgefunders.org or call 941.556.4029.
