$100,000 in grants available for women to study automotive, STEM fields

$100,000 in grants available for women interested in career in automotive industry

$100,000 in grants are being offered to recruit more women into careers like Mechanics and in STEM. FOX 26 Consumer Reporter Heather Sullivan shares some Smart Sense on how to apply.

HOUSTON - $100,000 in grants are being offered to recruit more women into careers as auto mechanics and in STEM-related fields.

Universal Technical Institute (UTI) and Ignite Worldwide Offers are partnering to provide $100,000 in tuition grants. IGNITE, or Inspiring Girls Now in Technology Evolution, works to encourage girls to enter Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math fields.

Girls and people identifying as female that are juniors or seniors in high school can apply to receive a grant ranging from $2000 to $25,000, to be used at UTI campuses across the country.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that women represent only one in four people who work in STEM fields. UTI says employers are looking to hire a more diverse workforce.

BLS data also shows there are 100,000 new job openings a year for automotive, diesel, and collision repair technicians.

"As you look at BLS data and where things are going, there’s a number of these positions, whether they are in auto, or diesel, or welding, everything across the board in the skilled trades space," said Alanna Vitucci, spokesperson for UTI. "We’ve seen that currently with the chip shortage, there are so many organizations struggling to hire and service those older vehicles that people are keeping and driving longer."

MORE SULLIVAN'S SMART SENSE

UTI says to be eligible, applicants must meet these criteria:

Be female, non-binary or identify as female
Be a junior or senior in high school at the time of application submission
Participate in at least one IGNITE Worldwide event – either virtual or live – and provide the name and location of that event
Provide proof of high school diploma or GED prior to starting school at UTI
Provide written consent forms from any other individual(s) depicted in video (if applicable)
Provide authorization from a legal guardian (if the applicant is under the age of 18)

Candidates can apply through this link. Applications are due April 29.