TMMK President Wil James and KSU President Mary Evans Sias.
Toyota and Kentucky State University announced a scholarship program today to help recruit and develop mechanical engineers, much needed by Toyota, to KSU.
The Toyota Engineering Scholarship program – made possible by a five-year, $375,000 grant from the automaker – will tie in directly with its manufacturing operations in Georgetown, little more than 20 miles from the KSU campus. Through this program, Toyota will look to develop a deeper and richer pipeline to employ students with engineering degrees, according to a release from the university.
“The auto industry in general has a shortage of talented engineers coming out of college,” said Wil James, president, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. “Young engineers need to understand that our Georgetown plant, with its robotics, and cutting-edge technology, is the wave of the future.”
Kentucky State University, beginning next fall, will supply Toyota with up to five engineering candidates. The incoming freshmen, picked from a pool of high-achieving STEM students, will receive full-ride scholarships – the first three years at Kentucky State on a pre-engineering curriculum, the last two at the University of Kentucky. After the five-year period, the students will have an undergraduate degree from Kentucky State and an engineering degree from the UK.
The Toyota program syncs with an existing reciprocity agreement Kentucky State has with the University of Kentucky allowing it to send pre-engineering majors to Lexington to complete an engineering degree.
“I am very excited about this opportunity for those of our students who want to pursue a career in engineering, and I am excited about continuing our partnership with a company that’s respected the world over for its innovation. Toyota has been an excellent partner over the years and has demonstrated a high interest in the success of Kentucky State University’s students,” said Mary Evans Sias, Ph.D., president of Kentucky State University.
In addition to the full scholarships, students in the program will receive other key benefits:
- Each will work with various Toyota mentors, helping the student in regard to career choices, etc. Also, Kentucky State will provide mentoring on the academic/student side.
- Co-op employment opportunities/internships at the Georgetown plant where they will receive hands-on training/understanding of the auto-manufacturing process.
- Once the engineering degree is completed, employment opportunities at Toyota Georgetown plant in advanced manufacturing roles such as stamping, plastics molding, engine machining, and vehicle-assembly operations, among many others.