Nonprofit Continues Mission To Connect Aspiring Collision Repair Students To Scholarships

By Abby Andrews Autobody News

Over the years, the University of the Aftermarket Foundation (UAF) has awarded millions of dollars in scholarships to high school and college students looking for a career in the automotive aftermarket and commercial vehicle industry, by making it easy for them to be considered for scholarships from more than 40 organizations by filling out just one application.

In 2022 alone, UAF awarded 461 scholarships totaling $731,350. This year, that single application is due March 31, and can be completed on UAF’s website, automotivescholarships. com/apply-online.

Full-time students at an accredited U.S. college or university, or an ASE/ NATEF-certified post-secondary automotive, heavy duty or collision repair school, as well as graduating high school seniors planning to attend any of the above full time are eligible for the scholarships. There is no GPA requirement.

Priority in awarding scholarships is given to those pursuing a career in the automotive aftermarket, and sons and daughters of aftermarket industry families.

Students who receive a UAF scholarship are eligible for a second grant upon graduation from their program and after completing six months of employment as a technician in the automotive or heavy-duty industries.

said.

Later, in 2001, the Global Automotive Aftermarket Symposium (GAAS) was formed, Pavey said, also to raise money for and distribute scholarships.

In 2016, GAAS became a part of UAF. Between the two organizations’ histories, both separately and since they combined, more than 5,000 scholarships have been awarded.

“We have scholarships today for every different part of the industry,” Pavey said. “We promote scholarships to anyone who has any kind of aftermarket interest, and work with different suppliers and distributors to make sure we are addressing the entire marketplace.” about our industry when you see the quality of people trying to get involved.”

Pavey said he thinks little by little, the automotive aftermarket industry is being seen as a viable career option, as vehicle technology becomes more sophisticated, but he thinks it could still be better promoted.

“The need for techs has never been bigger; the shortfall is the largest it’s ever been,” Pavey said. “The average age of [existing] techs is getting higher. Certainly the numbers are still such that we need a lot more technicians.”

Scholarship recipients for the 202324 school year will be announced in June.

Larry Pavey, vice chairman of the UAF Board of Trustees and CEO of Automotive Parts Services Group, said UAF, originally known as the Automotive Warehouse Distributors Association (AWDA) University Foundation, was established in 1986.

“It brought together distributors and manufacturers who wanted to promote education and participation in the automotive aftermarket, with the feeling we were beginning to lose people coming into industry,” Pavey

Pavey said the UAF gets a few thousand applicants every year.

Teams of 10 volunteers review 100 or 150 applications each. Pavey said he has been managing one of the teams for the last 12 or 15 years, and has seen how the applications have changed over time.

More women are applying for the scholarships, and the educational credentials of the applicants has only increased.

“It’s a tremendously better group of students,” Pavey said. “Once you’ve spent a long weekend reviewing 150 scholarships, you feel really good

Pavey said the advantage to filling out a single UAF scholarship application means students might win a scholarship they didn’t even realize they qualified for.

“The cool thing about our process is there’s over 40 organizations offering scholarships, and they’re all different,” he said. “A student can be focused on collision, but could also get [a scholarship from] Women in Auto Care. If they’re from Kentucky, they could get one from KIAWA. We’re kind of a one-stop shop for the automotive aftermarket.”

UAF funds the scholarships through a combination of donations and fundraising events. For more information on how to donate, visit uofa-foundation.org.

Q: What factored into your pursuing auto collision and management technology at TSTC?

A: I grew up in a mechanic shop with my dad. The first job I landed was at a body shop that a friend ran. I was probably 14 years old. I enjoyed it. I did that throughout high school. It is good to have that early exposure, and it makes a big difference in knowing what tools go with what jobs.

TSTC was close to where I lived, and I heard it has a really good program. I toured the campus first and then applied. One of my instructors was Clint Campbell, who is still at TSTC.

Q: After working in the auto body and collision industry, what made you decide to pursue teaching?

A: It is just the desire to teach people the right way to do things. There are a lot of people in the industry that do not accept the correct way to do things.

I have taken to teaching pretty easily. It gives me a good feeling to see the students learn from the information I give them. It is rewarding. On my first day of teaching, it was pretty exciting because I got to teach an aluminum welding class.

Q: What skills do students need to be successful in the program?

A: They need to know the basics of the how and why of refinishing and painting. It helps. But sometimes if they were taught something the wrong way, there is a barrier. We are teaching the correct way to do it. It helps to have familiarity with the tools and being able to apply them the correct way.

Q: Are you optimistic about students getting jobs, either while in the program or upon graduation?

A: I feel like they have a good opportunity. They are going to have to start out at the bottom and grow as a technician. You have to start at the bottom and work your way up. It is like a staircase. You also need patience.

Q:

What is your career advice to students?

Pump Prices Creep Higher Amid January Doldrums

By Andrew Gross AAA

The short days and messy weather of January are combining to keep people off the roads, lowering gasoline demand. But the price of oil rose as fears of a global economic recession eased.

The national average for a gallon of gas rose by five cents over the previous week to $3.32 as of Jan. 17.

“Gasoline demand is usually lackluster this time of year,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson, “and it likely won’t start to tick up until spring break draws near. So the primary factor in this latest increase is the higher cost of oil, which accounts for more than half of what you pay at the pump.”

According to data from the Energy Information Administration, gas demand barely budged over the same week, rising slightly from 7.51 million b/d to 7.56 b/d. Meanwhile, total domestic gasoline stocks rose from 222.7 million bbl to 226.8 million bbl. Flat gasoline demand and increased supply are contributing to limited pump price increases.

The Jan. 17 national average of $3.32 is 17 cents more than a month ago and a penny more than a year ago.

The nation’s top 10 largest weekly increases: Colorado (+32 cents), Georgia (+30 cents), Indiana (+17 cents), Nebraska (+13 cents), Wyoming (+12 cents), Illinois (+10 cents), New Mexico (+10 cents), Texas (+9 cents), Washington, D.C. (+7 cents) and Utah (+7 cents).

The nation’s top 10 most expensive markets: Hawaii ($4.98), California ($4.42), Washington ($4.00), Nevada ($3.94), Alaska ($3.71), Oregon ($3.68), Pennsylvania ($3.64), Washington, D.C. ($3.53), Illinois ($3.52) and New York ($3.44).

A:If you put in the work, you get the results. No work equals no results.

Automotive body and related repairers in Texas make an average annual median salary of more than $46,000, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*Net OnLine website. The state is projected to need 13,030 workers in 2030, according to the website.

TSTC’s auto collision and management technology program offers three associate degrees specializing in refinishing, repair and repair specialization co-op, respectively; four certificates of completion in refinishing and repair; and an occupational skills achievement award in basic auto collision.

For more information on TSTC, go to tstc.edu.

Source: TSTC