“WE HELP YOUNG PEOPLE IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO BECOME TECHNICIANS IN ALL INDUSTRIES, WHETHER IT BE AUTOMOTIVE, AVIATION, MARINE, DIESEL, MOTORCYCLE, MOTORSPORTS AND MORE” “The pandemic reduced our resources as our funding sources struggled to navigate the economic rollercoaster,” Rapoport said. “But our mission is critical to how the world works. If we don’t have those resources, what are we going to do?” In today’s rapid-paced world of constant change and technological development, organizations with similar ideologies need to stick together in an effort to nurture this new tech and the students willing to follow their own paths to successfully engaging with it. Mecum Auctions, as a bedrock within the vintage and collector car industry, values the TechForce mission and is proud to find ways to support the educational progress of its technicians in training. After all, many Mecum employees come from these same backgrounds and have a deep respect for this important learning experience. The TechForce Foundation has formed a strong relationship with Mecum as the two work alongside one another, and occasionally in tandem, for a brighter technology-driven future. “Mecum has been so kind and supportive of hosting TechForce students at auctions for VIP experience days, and we’ve collaborated on some popular videos together,” Rapoport said. “We bring the students, explain how the cars were prepared, ask them to imagine how many technicians have had their hands on them and teach them how auctions work and the value of something. We’ll feature a car from Mecum with some of its history, and Mecum often provides us with a technician or owner to get the vehicle’s history straight from the source.” It’s a clear and concise win for everyone. As far as TechForce’s future and what the organization hopes to achieve, the nonprofit 106 // MECUM.COM has goals to expand its reach to those students who might not be familiar with what resources TechForce can offer. Knowing that members of GenZ are digital native, TechForce created a social network for and by GenZ technicians, JoinTechForce. org. A gamified community, it’s where all the great TechForce resources can be found, from scholarships and events to games, schools and employers. “As a nonprofit, we depend heavily on donations and are always on the lookout for partners and donors. We hope someday our mission is no longer needed and that so many students in the pipeline become technicians. We value our students, their time and commitment and hope they pay it forward. Maybe one day they will become the instructor or employer and pay it back to students who were once like themselves. We’re not a big team here at TechForce Foundation, but we are passionate and work really hard to succeed in our vision for the future,” Rapoport chimed confidently. As the national need for industry experts swells and the popularity of motor and computer-driven transpor tation rises, TechForce Foundation relies on supporters across all industries to participate in a movement built to offer the hope, inspiration and motivation for young minds looking to prosper under inventive and extraordinary circumstances, and Mecum is proud to be involved. To learn more about the TechForce Foundation, how to support this nonprofit organization or how to seek alternative educational opportunities, visit the TechForce Facebook page or its website at TechForce.org.
