Virginia Tire & Auto Partners with Virginia Apprenticeship Program

Virginia Tire & Auto’s training program is now certified by the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry as a registered apprenticeship program. This partnership allows VTA to further support students who are pursuing a career in automotive technology. To celebrate the new status, VTA recently held an official signing with the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry at VTA’s new Tysons Training & Technology Center. Representatives also attended the signing from Prince William County Schools, the Fairfax County School Board, Fairfax County Schools and Academies of Loudoun.

The Virginia Registered Apprenticeship program provides opportunities for students and adults. To begin, VTA is focusing on the Youth Registered Apprenticeship, which integrates school-based and work-based learning to help students gain employability and occupational skills. Students are enrolled in occupation-specific instruction classes (for example, auto tech classes at their high school) and through the Registered Apprenticeship program can work at VTA with skilled journey workers to receive work-based learning that counts towards their graduation requirements. The Youth Registered Apprenticeship Program begins a process of building a career pathway for a student with a possibility of obtaining several credentials or working toward college degrees.

VTA’s Youth Registered Apprenticeship Program allows anyone interested in a career in automotive repair to learn on the job.  Students must be at least 16 years old to apply, be enrolled in their school’s automotive technology program and have a driver’s license. Students who come to VTA will be exposed to all aspects of auto care and work with skilled technicians and will be able to apply what they are learning in school in a real-world, hands-on setting.

In addition to joining this expanded apprenticeship program, Virginia Tire & Auto recently launched a “Women in Automotive” scholarship that will assist in the advancement of women in the automotive industry. Up to three scholarships will be available for post-secondary education for those planning to attend an ASE-certified (National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence) auto technology program. Scholarships are worth up to $2,500 per candidate for one semester of tuition, books and other materials. A minimum GPA and other requirements will be necessary to maintain and retain the scholarship across multiple semesters.

“We are committed to doing whatever it takes to provide employment opportunities for those in our communities,” explained Julie Holmes, co-CEO of Virginia Tire & Auto. Holmes has also been on a mission to get more women into the automotive industry since leaving her career in law to join her family business and overseeing the business’ growth. She added, “There are so many career options with great salaries. We offer jobs with a path to $100,000+ per year in just two to three years and have free health insurance.” Technicians at VTA can earn as much as $200K per year.  Holmes continued, “We see tremendous potential in the students in our local school systems and we look forward to partnering with them to showcase the meaningful and rewarding careers in car care.”

For more information on the scholarship and apprenticeship programs and for an application, please visit https://vatire.com/careers/career-development/. If questions, please email EducationOutreach@vatire.com.