From left to right: Tracey Davies, Jamie Vanderweyst, Freddie the Falcon, Stephen Patterson.
Fanshawe College took time to thank their long time supporters.
The Princess Auto Foundation has donated over $1 million dollars and an endowment that funds over 200 bursaries for students in the science, trades and technology programs.
During an event at the store, Fanshawe presented Princess Auto a Nissan Leaf, an electric vehicle wrapped in their logo with the statement “powering education into the future.”
The vehicle will be used by students in the School of Transportation Technology.
Stephen Patterson, the dean for the Faculty of Technology, said the bursaries help the trades program, which needs more workers.
“There’s a huge wave of retirements alongside an amazing amount of economic growth in Canada… There’s a lot of barriers in trades, that leaves us in deficit in every single year”
Patterson added that there needs to be more women in trades and that there are thousands of programs across the country that are working to change that.
“Historically it tends to be a male dominated sector be but ought not to be.” Patterson told X FM News.
Wrapped Nissan Leaf presented to Princess Auto thanking them for their support.
Princess Auto has supported of the college for a long time. Tracey Davies the program manager for the Faculty of Science, Trades and Technology says she’s grateful for the relationship.
“Students are indeed the future in our community, and our economy. Support and positivity goes a long way for students…”
Davies adds that Fanshawe will be fortunate to have support from Princess Auto over the years.
The Princess Auto Foundation’s goal is to support Trades students. Jamie Vanderweyst The store lead for London says it’s important to support students.
“We look at our customers and a lot of business comes from the trades. Students are the future of that business”
Vanderweyst explained the bursaries help entice more people to go to school for trades.
“Reality is, there’s financial constraints, and anything we can do to alleviate that will help”
