Contribution of a 2020 Ford F-150 will allow students to gain valuable hands-on experience
Sault Ste. Marie, ON - March 25, 2021– This month, Ford of Canada and Maitland Ford Lincoln donated a 2020 Ford F-150 to Sault College to be used in its automotive service training program.
“Maitland Ford Lincoln has been an ongoing supporter of Sault College providing them with several training tools including used vehicles, engine assemblies, transmissions and laptops. We are proud to donate this 2020 Ford F-150 along with Ford of Canada to the College’s Motive Power Program and see the continued success of their students and the future technicians of our trade,” said Steve Robinson, Service Manager, Maitland Ford Lincoln. “As a Motive Power Program Advisory Committee member at Sault College, I have a passion for the trade and through my 30 years of experience as a licensed technician, I’ve seen how much the business has changed and how it continues to evolve. I’m excited about the future of the industry, with EV vehicles and new electronics coming to the market and with this new vehicle, students will be able to access the latest in vehicle technology as a part of their learning.”
The donation is part of a nationwide initiative in which Ford of Canada is donating a total of 95 vehicles to automotive technology educational institutions across the country. These vehicles were damaged due to flooding last year and have been deemed irreparable. As such, Ford of Canada saw an opportunity to bring some of the latest in vehicle technology to automotive programs across Canada. Maitland Ford Lincoln prepared the vehicle for this donation that will provide a hands-on learning experience for the students.
“One of our main values here at Maitland Ford is giving back to our community. This has been a lifelong commitment of our dealership,” said Judith Kovala, Managing Partner, Maitland Ford Lincoln. “I am proud of the relationship our team has fostered with Sault College, and I look forward to watching this partnership continue to grow in the future.”
As part of this donation, Ford of Canada is providing students at Sault College access to their online Automotive Career Exploration (ACE) training. ACE is a partnership program between Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ford dealerships, and secondary and post-secondary institutions that aims to raise awareness and increase interest in career opportunities within the automotive industry.
“Sault College is proud to have a strong, longstanding community partnership with Maitland Ford Lincoln and we are honoured to once again have its support along with Ford of Canada,” said Steve Kent, Coordinator and Professor, Motive Power Program at Sault College. “Through this truck donation, our students will have access to leading edge technology, valuable hands-on learning opportunities and it will ensure our students continue to be at the forefront of automotive learning. This important investment in our students and our program will further diversify their automotive training preparing them for successful careers in this field. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Maitland Ford Lincoln and Ford of Canada for choosing to invest in the future of our students and College.”
Students enrolled in a Ford ACE partnership school obtain valuable knowledge of Ford vehicle systems through specialty training in areas such as New Model Training, Electrical Systems, Steering & Suspension and Brakes. These are a subset of the same program current Ford technicians complete to receive specialty training in dealerships.
Learn more about Sault College at: www.saultcollege.ca Learn more about Maitland Ford Lincoln at www.maitlandford.com
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