Scholarship awarded to “second career” student

WATERLOO, Ontario—The 2014 Trailcon Leasing Trailer Service Technician Scholarship was presented to Vania Agostinho for excelling in the Truck Trailer Service module of its Motive Power Fundamentals program.

The scholarship was presented at the 5th Annual Trades & Apprenticeship Awards Presentation hosted by Waterloo’s Conestoga College by Trailcon’s vice-president of service and operations, Paul Merryweather. Agostinho was chosen by the college using criteria established by Trailcon Leasing, the OTA Education Foundation and Conestoga College.

As a prior year graduate of the college’s Radio Broadcasting diploma program, Agostinho says her heart has always been more closely aligned with the automotive sector, and that she resisted applying for and enrolling in technician-type programs because so many people thought it would be “too difficult to learn and work in a male-dominated industry”.

“I thought for sure that I would take the fundamentals program, and then to into an automotive technician program,” she said.

However, after being introduced to truck-coach technician basics, Agostinho decided that the “big trucks” were more her style.

Trailcon Leasing’s Al Boughton is pleased to provide much-needed financial assistance to Agostinho so  she can continue her studies.

“We see this as a great opportunity to give back, and to help a deserving individual get the necessary training that will open doors to a career in a skilled trade,” Boughton said.

Winners are selected by Conestoga College using academic performance criteria along with established criteria to assess financial need. The Trailcon Leasing Trailer Service Technician Scholarship is funded by an endowment established by Trailcon Leasing Inc, and is administered by the OTA Education Foundation. For more information, go to www.otaef.com.