Trying to become a technician without a trust fund is like trying to win Le Mans in a golf cart. We aren’t talking about a dusty screwdriver from your dad’s garage. We’re talking about professional-grade kits that can burn a hole in your pocket to the tune of $2,150. For a student at Rock Valley College, that’s not just an “expense”, it’s a financial wall. Enter Stellantis, the automotive giant currently playing the role of the benefactor with a $10,000 donation to launch a toolkit loan program.
Instead of students drowning in debt before they even learn how to change a spark plug, the college provides the gear. It’s a “loaner” program for the future grease monkeys of the world. Mike Bennett, the man holding the corporate megaphone for Stellantis, claims this is an investment in the regional workforce, specifically with an eye on the 2027 relaunch of the Belvidere Assembly Complex. Plant the seeds today, hope they turn into affordable labor tomorrow.
Dr. Howard Spearman and the RVC Foundation are, predictably, singing praises about “removing barriers” and “leveling the playing field”. And they aren’t wrong. By ensuring students have the right tech in their hands from day one, the program aims to boost graduation rates and prevent students from dropping out because they couldn’t afford a torque wrench.
The Automotive Service Technology program is even getting a shiny new home at the Downtown West Campus in the fall of 2026. It’s all very noble, assuming Stellantis actually follows through on those 2027 production promises.
For now, the students get the tools, the college gets the PR, and we get to wait and see if these “highly demanded technical careers” actually pay enough to buy a set of tools of their own. After all, a loaner kit is great, but you can’t take it with you when you leave.
