The Wisconsin Fleet Maintenance Council (WFMC) recognized the need to promote careers in the trucking industry, getting prospective high school graduates to attend technical trade schools. However, it hopes to build that awareness in an unusual manner – sponsoring a golf tournament.
WFMC is putting together its 7th annual Scholarship Golf Outing this August, which is aimed at accomplishing several goals. Technical colleges would be in the planning stages for the coming fall semester, so prospective students would be able to meet many of the key industry personnel from the area. And money from the tournament would be used to sponsor scholarships for those students seeking financial aid.
The amount of scholarship monies to be distributed will be based solely on the amount of monies raised from the outing. The amount of scholarship monies generated will be divided between area technical colleges that provide diesel engine, heavy truck and heavy trailer courses and work with WFMC to provide technicians to the trucking industry.
“We often feel like David vs. Goliath when we try to compete against the likes of Harvard, M.I.T. and other colleges and military recruiters,” says Jim Baeten, gm of Packer City International Trucks Inc. and chairman of WFMC. “However, today’s youth are quick to see that if there is outside assistance available, there are jobs waiting.”