As part of its effort to diversify the workforce and increase recruitment of women into the skilled trades, Universal Technical Institute, Inc. teamed up with Ignite Worldwide to provide $100,000 in tuition grants for female and female-identifying students interested in pursuing a technical education at UTI and careers in STEM-related fields.
“We’re constantly hearing from employers about the demand for more trained technicians — particularly women, who have traditionally been underrepresented in STEM and skilled-trade sectors,” says Universal Technical Institute CEO Jerome Grant. “We hope this scholarship opportunity will open doors for women who may be considering careers in these high-tech, high-skilled fields and encourage them to pursue that route with a technical education from UTI. We’re proud to partner with Ignite Worldwide on this important initiative. Together, we can drive more qualified workers into these growing industries and contribute to the diverse workforce employers and our economy demand.”
Currently, women represent just over one in four STEM workers in the United States. Research by both McKinsey and Harvard Business School has found gender-diverse employers tend to be more productive and exhibit stronger financial performance relative to their non-diverse competitors. Workforce demand in the transportation sector remains strong nationally, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimating there are approximately 100,000 total new openings each year for automotive, diesel and collision repair technicians nationally, including net employment changes and net replacements.
Applications for these grants are open now and will be accepted until April 29, 2022. The review process will begin in early May, with winners announced on May 18, 2022.
Did You Know: Workforce demand in the transportation sector remains strong nationally, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimating there are approximately 100,000 total new openings each year for automotive, diesel and collision repair technicians nationally, including net employment changes and net replacements.
