Company spearheading Mechatronics program at Wayne County Community College District receives Benchmark Award
Stellantis, a company that is one of the world’s leading automakers and leads the Mechatronics program at Wayne County Community College District, has been awarded its second Benchmark Award from Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
Stellantis North America has recently been awarded its second Benchmark Award from Rainbow PUSH Coalition. The award was given to recognize Stellantis’ workforce training program at Wayne County Community College District.
The award was presented by Chairman John A. Graves and Reverend Jesse Jackson to Stellantis North America’s COO Mark Stewart at the 2022 Rainbow PUSH Global Automotive Summit. The company’s innovative Mechatronics program was the focus of the recognition.
The company’s Mechatronics program at Wayne County Community College District includes over 10 million in robotics equipment donated by Comau, Stallantis, and other similar suppliers. The goal of the program is to create training for job opportunities in the automotive industry. Another $10 million will be invested by Wayne County Community College District for additional infrastructure and staffing for the program. The program is slated to start in the second quarter of next year.
In a press release Mark Stewart was quoted about the award, saying, “On behalf of the dedicated Stellantis team, I'm deeply humbled and honored to accept our company's second Benchmark Award, in recognition of the innovative Mechatronics program at Wayne County Community College. This exciting program is an excellent example of how companies like Stellantis, and outstanding educational institutions like Wayne County Community College, can be very intentional about bringing business acumen and resources to bear to create tangible and sustainable economic benefits for diverse communities."
The Benchmark Award was established in 2017 by Rainbow PUSH to recognize people and businesses who create opportunities using innovative methods and strategies.
John A. Graves was also quoted in the press release on why Stellantis was chosen: "The importance of the automotive industry being involved with and connected to the communities it serves through educational programs like this cannot be overstated. At the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, we continuously encourage automakers to support workforce development programs that reflect the communities where they sell their products."
Stellantis was awarded the Benchmark Award back in 2019 for its successful MatchMaker program, which was able to generate billions of dollars in business opportunities for businesses owned by minorities. The MatchMaker program was started by Stellantis in 1999.
Stellantis is one of the leading mobility providers and automakers in the world. It is best known for producing vehicles for brands like Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Ram, Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep in North America. More information can be found about Stellantis at its website.
More information about the Rainbow PUSH coalition can be found at the organization’s website.
Wayne County Community College District has six campuses across Michigan and offers dozens of certification and associate degree programs. More information can be found at its website.