Kia is lending a helping hand to army veterans, providing them with the chance to become a trained technician through the new Kia Veterans Technician Apprenticeship Program.
The new program has been designed specifically for veterans and encompasses a comprehensive technical training schedule. It includes participation in a one-year competency-based apprenticeship that will lead to Kia Service Technician certification, as well as access to tools, equipment, vehicles, and all of the training required.
The carmaker notes that eligible military veterans may also be able to apply for and receive a GI Bill Monthly Housing Allowance during their apprenticeship, but notes this will require approval from the U.S. Government. Successful trainees may also be able to find full-time employment with a participating Kia retailer.
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“Kia is proud to provide highly specialized career opportunities to military Veterans in conjunction with ERS and our nationwide network of retailers,” vice president of service operations at Kia America, Greg Silvestri, described. “We thank our Veterans for their service and look forward to helping them leverage their skill set for civilian jobs.”
News of Kia’s new military veteran apprenticeship program comes in the midst of an aggressive product plan that will see the company sell more than 2 million eco-friendly models annually by 2030. In key markets, such as Korea, North America, Europe, and China, it expects its eco-friendly models to account for 78 percent of total volume by 2030.
Helping Kia achieve these plans will be the introduction of 14 new battery-electric vehicles by 2027. The first of these new models to launch in the United States will be the EV9, a large SUV that has been spied testing on a handful of occasions in recent months. It is expected to start at around $56,000 and will apparently top out at $73,000.
