Students at Lethbridge College will have the chance to get their hands dirty with two new Ford vehicles after a was donation was delivered on Tuesday.
Dunlop Ford and Ford of Canada have donated a 2020 Ford F-150 and a 2020 Ford Expedition for use in both the automotive service technician apprenticeship training and the automotive systems program.
“These vehicles were involved in a flood damage claim in Fort McMurray,” Dunlop Ford president Gary Dunlop explained.
“They were fairly lightly damaged, (so) it creates a great opportunity for Ford to provide institutions such as the college with new — or almost new — product for the students to work on.”
Dunlop said around 30 vehicles were donated to facilities throughout Canada, and they are excited to be a part of the education process at Lethbridge College.
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“I think it’s going to be huge for them to be working on the latest engines and transmission and electronic components of a 2020 vehicle,” he said.
Sheldon Anderson, Lethbridge College’s dean of the Centre for Trades, said the college currently uses cars up to 15 years old, and paying for new models can be difficult within the budget.
“This is what we really need to keep the college at the cutting edge,” he said.
“Whenever we can get support from industry, it really helps us to be able to train on the newest and greatest things.”
A web-based training program, the Ford ACE Program, was also part of the partnership.
Anderson said around 200-250 students each year will have the opportunity to work and study these new additions, and they plan to keep the models for several years.