Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. and Centennial College have announced a new scholarship to support diversity, equity and inclusion in the automotive sector in Canada. The Hyundai Diversity Scholarship aims to foster the recruitment and advancement of Black students applying to Centennial’s School of Transportation. The scholarship in full covers $60,000, which will be pledged to six Black students over three years.
Centennial College’s School of Transportation will be awarding the Hyundai Canada Diversity Scholarship to students who identify as members of the Black community. Additionally, recipients of the scholarship will receive greater access to employment opportunities at a Hyundai dealership, post-graduation. The scholarship is applicable to students in two automotive programs at Centennial College: Motive Power Technician and Automotive Service Technician.
“At Hyundai Canada, we believe change in the name of inclusion and equality happens with action. Therefore, it is of great importance to us to provide this scholarship program in order to help foster diverse talent and cultivate the next generation in the auto industry,” said Kirk Merrett, director of human resources and administration at Hyundai Canada. “We are proud to be investing in the future of students with Centennial College while also realizing Hyundai’s vision of progress for humanity.”
Centennial College enrols approximately 2,000 students in the School of Transportation – the largest in Canada – due to its highly skilled faculty and state-of-the-art training equipment. As Hyundai Canada continues to lead the industry with the latest smart road technology and its vision towards an electrified future, there is a long-term focus to bridge the gap in between market demand and talent development.
“Centennial College has a long history of welcoming and preparing diverse students for careers in Canada’s transportation sector. With the support of the newly created Hyundai Diversity Scholarship, our mission is further bolstered to serve the Black community and help more young Black men and women access rewarding careers in the automotive sector,” said Alan McClelland, Dean of Centennial’s School of Transportation. “Our sincerest thanks to Hyundai Auto Canada for recognizing the need to open more doors to robust, rewarding careers in the automotive industry.”
Hyundai Canada has previously partnered with Centennial College to offer vehicle loans to train young apprentices on the latest advanced diagnostics, hybrid and alternate fuel training technologies, and build practical skillsets outside of automotive labs.
The Hyundai Diversity Scholarship will be available for fall 2021; scholarship candidates have to be nominated to be eligible. Unfortunately, the scholarship is not available to international students. For more details regarding the nomination process, please email lbarlow@centennialcollege.ca.