I have been involved with an automotive summer camp held at Northwood University (Midland, MI) since its beginning in 2021. These camps have been very successful, giving high school students a strong sample of the automotive industry. Because of that success, General Motors has awarded Northwood University $100,000 to help expand the camp.
That’s great news for the students and will allow the camp to grow in size and scope. The past two camps each allowed thirty students to experience automotive history, dealership sales and service operations, and some mechanical repair service. The 2023 Full Tank Auto Camp will take that experience and grow it into something much bigger.
Related articles: Automotive Summer Camp: Year One Planning; Automotive Summer Camp: 2021; Automotive Summer Camp: 2022
Much of the success of the past camps comes from Elgie Bright, Chair of the Automotive Marketing/Management Program at Northwood. As you will see in the introductory video below, Elgie shares his thoughts and enthusiasm for this program:
2023 Camp Logistics
With the award provided by General Motors, this year’s camp will grow from thirty students to 100. It will also evolve from a three-day camp to a five-day residential camp. This means students will be provided overnight accomodations on the campus of Northwood University for the duration of the camp. It will also allow them to live and breathe the experience with fellow campers.
Camp dates: June 11 – 16, 2023
Location: Northwood University, 4000 Whiting Drive, Midland, MI 48640
Attendees: Students entering high school (grades 9-12) by Fall 2023
The agenda is still in development, so cost will be provided at a later date. The current camp curriculum is outlined below.
Note: If travel to Michigan is not convenient for you, alternative activities are available. Check out the article The Car Hobby: Find Your Thing for activities to help new car enthusiasts jump start the hobby.
Core Skills Taught
The lessons and skills that campers learn can influence their future leadership in business, whether their career is inside or outside the automotive industry. This camp is designed for students interested in auto shows, car collections, plant tours, design, or auto museums related to a S.T.E.A.M. career in the automotive industry (S- Sales, T- Training, E- Engineering, A- Accounting, M-Marketing).
In order to be successful in the automotive industry, it will be important to be exposed to new skills. The Full Tank camp will place an emphasis on the following:
- Learning about the past, present, and future of the automotive industry
- Experiencing how dealership profits center work
- Discovering individual skill sets and how those skills relate to the automotive industry
- Working within a team
- Problem-solving in a business setting
- Brand messaging through advertising
Need More Information Or Have Questions?
More details will be provided closer to the date of the camp. In the meantime, you can reserve a seat for your camper and get on the list for future updates HERE. There is no cost to reserve that seat, and doing so gives you a place in line when enrollment opens.
Still wondering if the camp is right for high school students? Take a look at the video from three industry insiders. My endorsement is included in the middle of this video, but if you have any further questions, please email me at wct.billtaylor@gmail.com, or message me through the Vehicle Nanny Instagram or Facebook pages.
Again, if there is not a summer camp convenient for you, I have several alternatives for budding car enthusiasts. Check out those details in the article The Car Hobby: Find Your Thing.
You will be hard pressed to find a more comprehensive automotive summer camp in the country. This new version of the Full Tank Auto Camp is going to be the best one yet.