Ford’s free course pays for transportation and food and also sends the student to work

Ford opened this Tuesday (18) registration for Ford <Enter> Auto, a free training course in automotive services that offers 36 vacancies in the first classes of São Paulo and Salvador. Applications are open until September 3, through the program’s website, and classes start in October.

People over 16 years old who are attending or have already completed high school, have a family income of up to four minimum wages (R$ 6,484) and live in the metropolitan regions of São Paulo or Salvador can apply. No previous knowledge of mechanics is required.

In addition to the free tuition, the program pays an allowance for food and transportation, so that students can dedicate themselves fully to their studies. At the end, participants receive nationally recognized certification and referral to the job market.

From combustion to electric car

The grid covers diagnosis and maintenance of combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as activities aimed at human development and productive inclusion. The design responds to two bottlenecks pointed out by the automaker itself: the shortage of technicians prepared for new technologies and the lack of opportunities for people in situations of social vulnerability.

“The program responds to a real and urgent market demand, in line with major trends in the global automotive industry,” said Martín Galdeano, president of Ford South America, in a statement. According to him, the initiative was developed together with the brand’s dealership network.

The course is the result of a partnership between the Ford Dealership Network, the Citizen Network and SENAI. The financing comes from the Ford Network Community Fund, formed by a percentage of the value of each vehicle invoiced by the dealerships, plus a contribution of equal value from the automaker.

Where will the classes take place

In São Paulo, the 16 vacancies of the pilot class will be served at the Ford Academy, the brand’s multifunctional center focused on training, new technologies and consumer experience, installed at SENAI Ipiranga. In Salvador, the other 20 vacancies will have classes at SENAI CIMATEC, in the Piatã neighborhood.

The automaker plans to take the Ford <Enter> Auto to three more locations in 2027, when about 100 vacancies should be opened. The automotive arm expands Ford <Enter>, created in 2022 to train people in situations of social vulnerability for the technology market. According to Ford, more than 2,500 people have already gone through the program in South America.