Future Engineers Can Win This Scholarship

PLYMOUTH-CANTON -- For the third consecutive year, HELLA is offering prospective engineers looking for hands-on experience, career guidance and tuition aid the chance to apply to be a part of the HELLA Scholars program. The program awards students $10,000 renewable scholarships, along with paid work experience, and ultimately, career placements at HELLA. Once students are selected, they’ll be paired with a mentor to oversee their work and offer guidance. Applications for the lighting and electronics company’s coveted program are due March 1, 2019.

The program is open to high school seniors from select schools as well as university students within commuting distance to HELLA. At the high school level, HELLA previously has only offered the opportunity to its neighboring Plymouth-Canton Community Schools district. This year, HELLA is expanding the program to include Northville Public Schools, since its new U.S. headquarters and technical center – which employees are set to move into at the end of February – is located in Northville, Michigan.

“Through this program, we are able to see first-hand the impact we are having on the next generation of engineers; I’m incredibly pleased to see the growth of both our participating Scholars and mentors,” said Jörg Weisgerber, CEO of HELLA Electronics for North and South America. “We are excited to now offer this exceptional opportunity to other high school students close to home.”

HELLA is planning to add approximately eight more students to the program, with hopes of retaining the 15 students currently enrolled in the program. The 2019-2020 program will kick off in June. To be considered, applicants must:

• Show proof of their acceptance to an accredited, local university
• Attend college with the intent of obtaining a degree in a related science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) field
• Achieve a minimum GPA of 3.0

Scholarship recipients are required to work at HELLA full-time during the summer months and part-time during the school year. Scholars receive an hourly wage with pay increases each year they continue the program. Derek Goderis, a freshman at Michigan State University and former Plymouth-Canton Community Schools student, is wrapping up his first year as a Scholar.

“Participating in the HELLA Scholars program has been a pretty amazing, growing experience for me; overall, it’s making me a better student and employee,” said Goderis. “This program offers immense value for both the company and myself because I’m working on real projects and by the time I’m done with college I’m going to know the ‘HELLA way’.”

Through working on real projects, students like Goderis are gaining hands-on experience, learning concepts in the classroom and applying in the real world and vice-versa, while gaining experience from a cohort of other mentors and scholars. Matt McAmmond, manager of the Advanced Engineering Group at HELLA, and a Scholars mentor, noted from experience that learning theory in school and practicing at work is the best way to prepare for a career. Likewise, he concurred it’s a mutually beneficial program.

“The Scholars add tremendous value,” said McAmmond. “Evidence of the Scholars’ contributions become apparent when they reduce their hours of work to attend their university in the fall. It’s at this point that the teams the Scholars work with feel the impact of their reduced presence, so we know they are making a significant, positive difference.”

While HELLA is currently looking for its next class of Scholars, the program is designed with expectations of Scholars continuing to reapply with $10,000 scholarships available each year, up to $40,000. Upon college graduation, HELLA hopes to hire its program participants.

“HELLA is home growing students from 18 to 22, with intentions of hiring them full-time after they graduate – that’s really unique,” added Goderis, who plans to reapply this year.

Once applications are received and reviewed, interviews are conducted with select candidates. To apply for the HELLA Scholars program, visit hellausa.com and click on the career page. Alternatively, prospective Scholars can contact Dwayne Harris at dwayne.harris@hella.com or (734) 456-2737 for more information.

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