PLYMOUTH – Hella Corporate Center USA Inc., the North American headquarters of the German auto supplier Hella KGaA Hueck & Co., is now accepting applications for the Hella Scholars program. The deadline to apply is March 1.
Launched in 2017, Hella Scholars receive $10,000 renewable scholarships, 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.
The program is open to high school seniors from the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools and Northville Public Schools districts, as well as university students within commuting distance to Hella. .
Hella officials say they’re planning to add about eight more students in the program, in which 15 students are currently involved.
To be considered, applicants must:
- Be accepted into an accredited local university
- Attend college with the intent of obtaining a degree in a field related to the science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines
- Maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0.
Hella Scholars 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 in the program.
“Participating in the Hella Scholars program has been a pretty amazing growing experience for me,” said Derek Goderis, a freshman at Michigan State University and Plymouth-Canton graduate, who is wrapping up his first year in the program. “Overall, it’s making me a better student and employee. The 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.
“The Scholars add tremendous value,” McAmmond said. “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.”
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 [email protected] or (734) 456-2737 for more information.
