Pohanka Automotive Training Center becomes a State Certified Apprenticeship Program

Pohanka of Salisbury in Salisbury, Maryland opened their newest venture, the Pohanka Automotive Training Center, in August of 2022. The school is a great addition to the Delmarva Peninsula and gives a unique opportunity for people of any age to begin or restart an exciting new career. The Automotive Training Center is the first of its kind in Maryland as it is free to enroll. As long as requirements are met the cost of training is covered, tools are provided and the student is guaranteed employment after graduation. 

As of January 2023, the Pohanka Automotive Training Center has officially been recognized by the state of Maryland as an Apprenticeship and Youth Apprenticeship Program. Registered apprenticeships are jobs where workers “earn and learn.” While working on the job, employees receive one-on-one full-time training from a skilled craftsperson as well as related classroom instruction. An apprentice is sponsored by an employer or association and is paid according to a progressive pay scale. As a youth apprenticeship, students in their junior and senior years of high school are able to finish their schooling and earn up to four credits at the Pohanka Training Center.

While learning, both in the classroom and hands-on, at the Pohanka Automotive Training Center, students are placed part-time in one of Pohanka’s 10 service departments under an experienced mentor. The Training Center accepts students of all ages with a minimum age of 16. Whether you just graduated high school or are looking to change paths later in life, the Pohanka Automotive Training Center can offer you a fresh start on a rewarding new career.

For more information visit PohankaAcademy.com

Pohanka Gives back to ‘Rebirth Community Resource and Support Center’

Pohanka Pays it Forward was proud to donate its services to Rebirth Community Resource and Support Center. Pohanka was able to provide needed parts and service to make sure their transportation vehicle was safe and operational, while also donating needed funds to support Rebirth’s community outreach. Transportation is a crucial part of Rebirth’s efforts in the community, whether it means providing reliable transportation for their immigrant worker programs or providing underprivileged children of the immigrant community with transportation to summer camp.
Rebirth Inc. was founded in 1998 to empower immigrants, enrich local communities, and advocate for fair treatment of immigrants and refugees. Their programs available to the community include a virtual school and technology support center, health education, opioid outreach and support, translation services, financial literacy programs, and free summer camps and clinics for children.

Donations to this wonderful program can be made at https://www.rebirth4hope.org/.

Pohanka of Salisbury opens Pohanka Automotive Training Center in Salisbury, MD

In August 2022, Pohanka of Salisbury opened its newest venture with the Pohanka Automotive Training Center located in Salisbury, MD. Led by Master Technician David White, the training center allows anyone in Delmarva, seventeen and older, to begin or transition into a career as an automotive technician, free of charge. Pohanka provides students with a complete toolset and guarantees them a full-time job at the end of the 2-year training program. As long as students fulfill the course requirements they will graduate as a Certified  Automotive Technician, free of debt, with a full set of tools! 

David White has worked for the past 35 years as a teacher at Parkside High School, teaching Automotive Technology for their CTE program. He also taught Automotive Courses for Wor-Wic Community College and served as a trainer/consultant for current technicians at Pohanka of Salisbury. He is excited to join Pohanka as the full-time instructor and head of the all-new Pohanka Automotive Training Center. 

On Thursday, September 8th, from 5 pm-7 pm, the Pohanka Automotive Training Center will be hosting a business after-hours event for the public. There you can tour the new facility, meet with Instructor David White to learn more about this unique program and hear from the students of the inaugural class. There will be lite fare from Green Hill Country Club provided and chances to win door prizes.

To register for the business after-hours event visit: http://www.chamberdata.net/webforms/EvtListing.aspx?dbid2=mdsal&evtid=364517&class=E

To learn more about the Pohanka Automotive Training Center visit: https://pohankaacademy.com/

Community Raises Over $50,000 for Family Struck by Tragedy

On June 12th, the Delmarva community suffered an extreme loss when Deputy First Class Glenn Hilliard was shot and killed while pursuing a suspect in Pittsville. Hilliard was a 16-year veteran law enforcement officer with the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Department. The Sheriff’s Office said Hilliard “was a son, a husband and a father to three beautiful children, a brother to those he worked with, and an exemplary public servant to the citizens of Wicomico County and to the State of Maryland.” Sheriff Mike Lewis posthumously promoted Deputy First Class Glenn Hilliard to corporal and awarded him the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office Medal of Valor

In his honor, the Glenn Hilliard Memorial fund was set up to support his children and widow. In the wake of the tragedy, a fundraiser event was planned by AJ Angello, county council candidate, Mitchell’s Martial Arts, and Pohanka of Salisbury. Raffle tickets were sold to win a Toyota Tacoma, donated by Pohanka of Salisbury. The drawing took place on Friday, July 16th at Pohanka Toyota of Salisbury with Hilliard’s wife, county government officials, and members of the community present.

While one lucky winner received a brand new truck, the astounding part was the community support for the Hilliard Family. The event raised a staggering $51,000 dollars, with all proceeds donated directly to the Hilliard Family. Although a member of our police lost his life, it was inspiring to see how a community could rally around a family to help them in their time of need.

Junior Achievement Inspire Allows Teens to Explore Different Careers with Hands-on Experience

Pohanka of Salisbury recently teamed up with one of our loyal community partners, Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore, for the third annual JA Inspire Experience. The event took place on Tuesday, March 28th, and Wednesday, March 29th at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center in Salisbury, MD. 

Pohanka of Salisbury is proud to be a sponsor of this event each year because they believe in empowering the next generation. It was an exciting time for thousands of eighth-graders from Delmarva to get their first hands-on experience changing a tire, getting under the hood of a car, or building an electric circuit. Pohanka hopes to spark that excitement in these teens to motivate them to explore what interests them for a career in their future. 

According to students from Mardela and Bennett schools:
“I would never have thought I’d be interested in that [being an electrician] and it seems like it would be really fun to learn more about”

“I like how we actually got to do things that we would do on each job and we could talk to the actual people [from the business].”

Pohanka of Salisbury was happy to partner with Parkside CTE and instructor Mr. Dave White to give these students more information on the next steps available to them. Career and Technical Education is an opportunity that many students have not yet considered but could open a door to their future careers. Thanks to volunteers from Mr. White’s current classes, these students we able to speak with teens that were in their shoes a few short years ago. 

Junior Achievement is a powerful coalition of educators and industry leaders designed to present eighth-grade students with a jumpstart into their future career endeavors. Not all students are lucky enough to have access to a positive career mentor in their home life. It is Junior Achievement’s mission to lead these students down the path to success, out of generational poverty, and to help young people succeed. Junior Achievement’s financial literacy lessons and career readiness planning positively impact the lives of young people all over the country.