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Ford Philanthropy and Ford Dealers announced a $4 million investment in an auto tech scholarship program to combat the shortage of automotive technicians.
The program will provide 800 students with $5,000 scholarships and is available in various markets across the U.S., including West Tennessee.
Ford projects a need for an estimated 471,000 automotive technicians by 2028, highlighting the significant gap in the industry.

West Tennessee students looking to go into the automotive field now have more scholarship opportunities available to them.

On Monday, Ford Philanthropy and Ford Dealers announced a $4 million investment in their auto tech scholarship program, which will provide 800 students with a $5,000 scholarship. The national scholarship program is available in various markets in the U.S., including in the West Tennessee area, according to a news release.

Ford noted the investment is critical due to the high need or shortage of automotive technicians nationwide. The company projects an estimated 471,000 automotive technicians will be needed by 2028. This shortage leaves three open positions for every graduating technician, which creates a major gap in the industry, according to Ford.

“As vehicles on the road become increasingly sophisticated, this investment highlights Ford’s commitment to training the next generation of automotive service professionals and ensuring dealerships are equipped to service these vehicles,” Ford said in the news release.

Students can apply for the scholarships through September at https://techforce.org/fordphilanthropy.

The $4 million investment is addition to the $2 million investment announced in March 2024 by the then-Ford Fund and Ford Dealers in scholarship funding in 10 regions — including Memphis — to help students pursue careers as automotive technicians. The Ford Fund was rebranded last year to Ford Philanthropy.

In 2023, Ford Fund and Ford Dealers announced $1 million in scholarship funding to assist students pursuing careers as automotive techs.

Ford’s investment in West Tennessee

In January, Ford unveiled its Good Neighbor Plan and $9 million community investment in West Tennessee. According to Gabby Bruno, Ford’s director of community relations, the automotive giant will invest in workforce development, building community and protecting the environment in the communities around its BlueOval City campus. She noted it brings Ford’s total community investment to date in West Tennessee to $30 million.

The Michigan-based automaker’s $5.6 billion BlueOval City electric truck and battery campus is under construction in Haywood County. The start of production and customer deliveries of the company’s new EV truck model are expected in 2027.

Corey Davis is the Collierville and Germantown reporter with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Corey.Davis@commercialappeal.com or 901-293-1610. To keep up with the latest news from the Shelby County suburbs, sign up here for our Suburban Pulse weekly newsletter.