Feb. 27, 2020—A nonprofit in Atlanta is teaching auto repair skills to students at no cost, reports The Atlanta-Journal Constitution.
Larry Witherspoon Jr. has been running his nonprofit, Automotive Training Center, for six years with a mission to help troubled youth find their path and a job in auto repair. According to the report, he and another co-founder, Shawn McHargue, have trained 172 young people to date. About 80 percent of the center's graduates are now working as auto mechanics.
Once students complete their training, they receive help filling in job applications, writing resumes, and practicing interviewing skills. They are also given access to a list of dealerships and independent repair shops that hire entry-level technicians.
Witherspoon came up with the idea for the training center in 2012 after moving into the inner city of Atlanta and how shocked he was with the amount of young people that had been in prison or were headed there, the report says.
Check out the Ratchet+Wrench Radio episode with Witherspoon where he talks about his program and its impact on the community.
