Toyota Motor Corp. and Vincennes University signed an agreement Wednesday that could change the way education and job training is accomplished in the U.S.
The Indiana college agreed to a partnership with the major automaker to help create a program that will teach, train and draw in students to pursue technical jobs.
The Toyota Advanced Manufacturing Technician Program means that students will not only be taking classes at VU, but for two days a week they will gain hands on experience and get paid to work at a Toyota manufacturing plant.
This is a two-year associate degree program available to willing and qualified candidates that could succeed in this type of arrangement.
This program is the first of its kind in Indiana, and only the third in the nation according to Inside Indian Business. Identical manufacturing technology partnerships between Toyota and other colleges like Kentucky University and West Virginia University have been successful thus far.
20 students who are chosen for the program, which starts in 2013, can earn up to $19 an hour working two days a week at an auto manufacturing plant while also studying three days a week at VU's main campus.
"It's a partnership that is good for students, manufacturing and good for the community and economy," said Dr. Richard Helton, the President of Vincennes University to The Princeton Daily Clarion. "It's a world-class training opportunity that will pay off in huge dividends for the graduates and the community," he said.
A job at Toyota is not promised to graduating students, but it is a possibility depending on the job demands at the time. If students are kept on, they could make up to $64,000 yearly while being allowed to pursue a Bachelor's degree.
The scholarship includes room and board and the money earned from the job can almost pay for the entire tuition cost.
Since similar programs have already worked at Kentucky and West Virginia, some experts think that this could become the way things are done for other majors and jobs as well.
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