Ford Motor Company has donated a 2026 Lincoln Nautilus to St. Clair College for students to use as a hands-on training tool.
Ford Canada representatives were joined by Tilbury's Lally Ford on Nov. 3, 2026, to deliver the vehicle to the College's Motive Power Technician program.
"Lally Ford has a long history of supporting automotive education through partnerships with St. Clair College and Ford's ACE (Automotive Career Exploration) program," said Adam Lally, President of Lally Auto Group. "We believe investing in students today helps ensure a strong future for the automotive industry, and we are proud to support hands-on learning opportunities that prepare the next generation of technicians and industry leaders."
In fact, Lally notes many of the dealership's current leading technicians are St. Clair graduates. Even Vince Lally got his start in the business by becoming a Technician through St. Clair College.
Through its automotive Career Exploration program, Ford has donated whole vehicles as well as car parts to colleges and training programs nationwide since 2019.
The goal of these donations is to help build up a talented workforce by providing training tools that mimic what technicians will be seeing on the shop floor when they graduate.
"St. Clair College is extremely grateful to Ford Motor Company for its generous vehicle donation of a 2026 Lincoln Nautilus Premiere. This contribution represents a significant investment in the education and development of the next generation of automotive service professionals," said Joe Panaccione, Manager of Operations for the School of Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship at St. Clair College.
The donated vehicle will directly support the post-secondary Motive Power Technician program and 310S Automotive Service Technician Apprenticeship, providing students with valuable hands-on experience using the latest automotive technologies currently being developed and utilized in the industry.
Ford said promoting career paths in automotive service is necessary as a retirement boom looms in the coming years, which opens the door for new talent to emerge in the workforce.
"As vehicle technology continues to evolve, access to newer vehicles and systems is essential in ensuring our students remain current with industry advancements and develop the technical skills required by today's employers," Panaccione said.
"Having access to this vehicle will also allow us to provide a more realistic, current, and industry-relevant learning environment, better preparing students for the technologies, diagnostic procedures, and workplace expectations they will encounter when entering the automotive service industry," he added.
