GM Foundation Invests in Mass Bay Community College

The General Motors Foundation donated $27,000 to help fund the automotive technician program at with the goal of training the next generation of auto service technician in Massachusetts.

“Through this gift we will strengthen our workforce development partnership with the automotive and transportation industries,” said John O’Donnell, president of MassBay Community College in a press release.  “We are grateful for these important funds, which will help enable us to continue providing our students with the resources and skills they need to maintain and repair today’s increasingly complex modern-day vehicles.”

Many potential students who want to pursue an education in the automotive service technician field are unable to afford the costs of training programs.

The donation will help with student fees and will bolster the technician  program at MassBay Community College. Upon graduation, students receive an Associate Degree in Automotive Technology.

“The GM Foundation grant and MassBay training program will not only give these students the skills they need to compete in this high-tech industry, it will create jobs and help our state’s economy continue on a path of economic growth and prosperity,” said State Sen. Karen Spilka, Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, who represents Framingham.

“This grant is a testament to the GM Foundation’s support to help sustain the job pipeline for auto service technicians and repairmen in our state,” said State Rep. Tom Sannicandro, who represents Framingham and Ashland.

To help offset training costs, ACDelco, a leader in automotive replacement parts offering aftermarket products and related services, will provide MassBay Community College students with a full year’s access to its automotive service information.

“Through complete access to our service, students will be able to obtain the most comprehensive and up-to-date vehicle service information,” said Carlos Aponte, General Motor’s Regional Service Training Manager.

The combined support from the GM Foundation and ACDelco will help ensure that the program’s students will be prepared for the variety of auto repair challenges they will encounter, particularly given the growing complexity of advanced technology vehicles. Learnings from this program will be used to help establish and improve similar programs in other states.

Education is an important part of the GM Foundation’s work,” said GM Foundation President Vivian Pickard in a press release. “Through this donation, we are proud to invest in the future of the repair industry and cultivate workforce talent by investing in the next generation of auto repair technicians.”