Ten transportation technician students recognized for outstanding contributions as role models at school and in their communities
May 2, 2022 – SCOTTSDALE, AZ – TechForce Foundation® announces the Category Winners (Finalists) for the 2022 FutureTechs Rock Awards and opens the Grand Prize public vote. TechForce created this prestigious award to honor aspiring technicians and recognize those students with a promising future in the transportation industry. Voting is open through May 6, 2022. Meet the Category Winners and vote to choose the nation’s top tech student at TechForce.org/Vote.
Industry expert judges selected ten Category Winners from a pool of nearly 370 nominations, representing 95 schools across 33 states. Each of the 10 High School and Post-Secondary winners has been awarded over $1,800 in prizes. The Grand Prize Winner, chosen from the Category Winners by public vote, will receive over $4,000 in additional scholarships and prizes from TechForce and our industry partners. Prize sponsors include Advance Auto Parts, AutoZone, Caliber Collision, Cengage Learning, CRC Industries, Ford Motor Company, Snap-on Industrial and WD-40 Company.
The 2022 Category Winners represent six states and nine schools, and are equally split across high school and post-secondary programs. They each represent a distinct technical education discipline, and include:
• Automotive – Trishana Sadloo, New York Automotive and Diesel Institute, Jamaica, NY
• Aviation – Chozon Gilbert, MIAT College of Technology, Canton, MI
• Collision Repair – Andres Arellano, Wenatchee Valley Technical Skills Center, Wenatchee, WA
• Diesel Off-Road – Joshua Finell, Universal Technical Institute, Avondale, AZ
• Diesel On-Road – Riley Larr, Wexford Missaukee Career Tech Center, Cadillac, MI
• Marine and Watercraft – Durham Egger, Marine Mechanics Institute, Orlando, FL
• Motorcycle and ATV – Ashton Chatham, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, Phoenix, AZ
• Motorsports (Pit Crew/ Racing) – Joshua Gunther, Naperville North High School, Naperville, IL
• Restoration – Jacob Edwards, Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES, New Hartford, NY
• Welding and CNC – Jacob Gunther, Naperville North High School, Naperville, IL
Voters also have a chance to win. Every person who votes for the Grand Prize Winner will be entered into drawings to win one of 5 prizes valued at $125 each, courtesy of TechForce partners AutoZone and CRC Industries.
The FutureTechs Rock Awards are part of TechForce Foundation’s workforce development initiative to help inspire and support tomorrow’s workforce of technicians. TechForce has also created the first and only social network designed and gamified for professional technicians and tech students to connect with each other, employers and schools (JoinTechForce.org). The transportation community is supporting it with content and using it to learn, connect, find events, and explore job opportunities while competing for prizes and leaderboard status.
About TechForce Foundation
TechForce Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) with the mission to champion all students to and through their technical education and into careers as professional transportation technicians. The Foundation distributes more than $1.5 million in scholarships and grants annually, thanks to its generous corporate sponsors and donors, and spearheads an industry-wide workforce development initiative to help encourage and support more young people to pursue the vehicle technician profession. This includes a network of students, working technicians, instructors, employers, industry professionals and enthusiasts committed to championing the technician workforce. For more information, visit www.TechForce.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Linkedin.
