A donation of $10,000 from Bridgestone Tires to the Fox Valley Technical Foundation will help the college’s Automotive Youth Education Systems (AYES) program. The young initiative delivers FVTC automotive technology curriculum to area high school students, giving them an early jumpstart toward a career working under the hood.

The support of Bridgestone further addresses a shortage of technicians in the automotive industry by increasing FVTC’s participation with district high schools through AYES. The funds will remove financial barriers for high school students in the form of scholarships. 

In addition to hands-on mechanical aptitude training, AYES also includes tours and job shadowing opportunities at local automotive repair facilities, along with experiences for students to learn workplace culture and real-world problem solving.

Bridgestone leaders Pat Graves (center, front) and Travis Koceja (right of Graves) joined FVTC faculty and others to celebrate a donation to automotive technology training.