Jonathan Block, Diesel Equipment Technology student at Fox Valley Technical College, was one of 40 students nationally to receive a $6,200 Work Ethic Scholarship from the Mike Rowe Works Foundation.

As part of his scholarship package, the Birnamwood, Wisconsin native also received a $1,000 scholarship from the FVTC Foundation and a tool set valued at $1,800. The Mike Rowe scholarship is designed to encourage more people to pursue careers that are in demand and require specific technical skills. To date, the Mike Rowe Works Foundation has funded more than $3 million in scholarships in an effort to reinvigorate the skilled trades.

Block plans to use his scholarship toward reaching career goals in rural central Wisconsin where he can work on large farm equipment. “The scholarship has built my confidence to do more with the knowledge I’m gaining at Fox Valley Tech,” he says. “I am now working even harder knowing that this scholarship is supporting my career goals in a field full of great technology and tools.”

FVTC’s Diesel Equipment Technology program has experienced 98% job placement for its graduates over the past three years.