Interest in pursuing a career as an auto technician appears to be as strong as the industry's need for new talent, with more than 18,000 technicians expected to retire over the next decade.
The details: The Ford Auto Tech Scholarship, launched in 2023 by Ford Philanthropy and Ford dealers in partnership with TechForce Foundation, saw applications surge 55% in 2026, with more than 6,800 aspiring auto technicians applying across 42 states.
Applications more than doubled in Southern California and tripled in Kansas City and Houston.
Applicants aged 18 to 21 make up the majority, while 40% are 22 or older, reflecting growing interest among career changers, according to Ford.
Nearly 1 in 3 scholarship recipients used funding for transportation, while 1 in 4 applied it toward living expenses.
Dealer angle: The surge in scholarship applications signals growing interest in automotive technician careers, highlighting a promising talent pool that could help dealers address technician shortages amid concerns about a looming skilled labor gap and the growing need for highly skilled technicians in service lanes.
The car business moves fast. Stay ahead.
The most important insights from automotive retail, delivered to your inbox daily.
Join 74,000 others now, it's free:
Bigger play: While the scholarship program helps students cover tuition, tools, transportation, and certification fees, it also aims to build a sustainable pipeline of skilled technicians for dealership service departments.
Beyond scholarships, Ford offers paid, hands-on training, degree opportunities and accelerated credentialing programs.
Ford also partners with dealers and schools to introduce students to automotive careers.
What they’re saying: “Building a meaningful career requires looking at the whole student journey,” reads Ford’s press release about the program. “That’s why Ford Auto Tech Scholarships go beyond tuition to help students cover the costs of critical wrap-around support like tools, certification fees, and transportation that often stand in the way of completing their training.”
Key takeaway: Ford’s scholarship program highlights how upfront investments into a viable skilled trades initiative with key partners can help build a stronger auto tech pipeline that could be critical to sustaining long-term fixed operations profitability.
A quick word from our partner
“We should have started with Uber in the first place.”
That’s what the dealership team told Antonio Chavez after Simpson Irvine Chevrolet switched rideshare providers. Antonio joined Uber for Business to cover what the switch involved, from staff on-boarding and training to what to do with the shuttles and loaners you already run.
