• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • Forum
  • Design Studio
  • Upholstery Jobs
  • Newsletter
  • Sponsors

The Hog Ring

Auto Upholstery Community

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Scholarships to Study Auto Upholstery

January 10, 2018 By Nadeem Muaddi

The Hog Ring - Scholarships to Study Auto Upholstery

Students preparing for a career in auto upholstery are eligible to apply for the 2018 SEMA Memorial Scholarship or Loan Forgiveness Program.

New this year, high-school and part-time students can apply. “SEMA is dedicated to activating the next-generation automotive workforce by providing financial support and career resources to students enrolled in various high schools, universities, colleges and/or vocational schools in the United States,” said SEMA Chairman-Elect Tim Martin.

The SEMA Memorial Scholarship will give dozens of awards ranging from $2,000 to $3,000. A top award of $5,000 will go to the most promising candidate.

Of course, one of the scholarships is reserved specifically for students pursuing a career in auto upholstery. The scholarship is offered in memory of Nat Danas, founder of the National Association of Auto Trim Shops and Auto Trim and Restyling News.

SEMA is also accepting applications for its loan-forgiveness program, which offers financial awards to employees of SEMA-member companies who are paying off a loan for a completed program of study at an accredited university, college or vocational/training program in the US — such as Wyotech or McPherson College.

Since 1984, SEMA has granted more than $2 million in scholarships to students. How awesome is that?

Interested students should apply by March 1, 2018 by visiting SEMA.org/scholarships. For more scholarship opportunities, check out AutomotiveScholarships.com.

Filed Under: Archive, Competitions & Awards Tagged With: Auto Trim, Auto Upholstery, Car Interior, SEMA, SEMA Loan Forgiveness Program, SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, Specialty Equipment Market Association

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Helen says

    January 10, 2018 at 6:38 pm

    What kind of college course do you take too learn a manual trade? Kind of laughing, kind of serious here.

    • Nadeem Muaddi says

      January 10, 2018 at 9:38 pm

      The auto upholstery industry is actually quite diverse. On the manufacturer level, there are industrial designers who design interiors for automakers, engineers who create them, textiles experts who develop new fabrics and find innovative uses for old ones, managers who oversee the entire process, etc.

      Of course, at the shop level, trimmers must have all these skills. They must be able to design, fabricate and trim interiors all by themselves.

      The “manual trade” skills trimmers need range from metal fabrication to sewing. And with interiors becoming increasingly computerized, trimmers also need a firm understanding of how they function digitally. After all, you wouldn’t want someone taking apart your Tesla dashboard with little to no understanding of how to piece it back together, would you?

      It’s not an exaggeration to say much of what trimmers do is reverse-engineering.

      That’s not all, to run a successful business, shop owners and managers need to have solid business skills. That means an understanding of accounting, taxes, insurance, inventory management, etc.

      Some trimmers enroll in vocational schools or colleges to learn these skills. Others learn through apprenticeships. Many do both, as there’s no right or wrong way to learn.

      This industry is not easy. It’s no place for dummies.

  2. Patty says

    January 11, 2018 at 1:31 am

    I get it, I really do, but I don’t support this. Instead of kids paying to learn this why can’t we just have an apprenticeship where we pay them while they learn? NO debt involved.

Primary Sidebar

anal porno bangbros rus porno yaşlı porno konulu porno olgun porno porno izle sarışın porno bakire sex 69 porno

THR Sponsors

NC Sewing Machines
Miami Corporation - Right Rail Ad 3
  • Keyston Bros
  • OEM+ Banner Ad - The Hog Ring
  • Albright's Supply
  • Hyde Leather
  • Douglass Interior Products
  • Leather Craft
  • Big Z Fabric

THR Favorites

The Hog Ring - Indonesian Trimmers are Riding with Style

Indonesian Trimmers are ‘Riding with Style’

MBtech, an Indonesian supplier of synthetic … [more] about Indonesian Trimmers are ‘Riding with Style’

The Hog Ring - How to make a seat from scratch

How to Upholster a Car Seat From Scratch

Check out this awesome guide on how to … [more] about How to Upholster a Car Seat From Scratch

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Gottfried Upholstery - Dragon Scale Pleats

Gottfried’s 3D Dragon Scale Pleats

Since Vilner introduced dragon scale pleats … [more] about Gottfried’s 3D Dragon Scale Pleats

Auto Upholstery - The Hog Ring - Custom 1968 Camaro Seats - Naseem Muaddi

’68 Camaro: Retro Interior with Modern Twist

I recently had the opportunity to work on a … [more] about ’68 Camaro: Retro Interior with Modern Twist

How Did You Learn Auto Upholstery?

Stories about how individual auto trimmers … [more] about How Did You Learn Auto Upholstery?

Start Charging What You’re Worth

It’s time to stop preparing estimates with … [more] about Start Charging What You’re Worth

Categories

Footer

Recent Articles

  • WWF Teams Up with Big Brands to Clean Up the Leather Supply Chain
  • Trimmer James Byran Whitlock Dies at 56
  • Rant: As Touch Screens Took Over, Interior Quality Suffered
  • Mistakes to Avoid When Starting an Auto Upholstery Business
  • Toyota’s Self-Cleaning Car Interior is a Germaphobe’s Dream

Recent Comments

  • Edward Munday on Hidden Mouse Nest? How to Charge for the Extra Dirty Work
  • Jack on Keyston Bros. Acquires DLT Corporation
  • Brodie Smith on Aston Martin Just Introduced a New Convertible DB12
  • THE CAPTAIN on 6 Tips for Turning Callers into Customers
  • Dmei on Star Wars Seat Covers are ‘So Wizard’

Advertise With Us!

We're always looking for companies to collaborate with. Watch this short video about the benefits of sponsorship and then email us to say hi.

Copyright © 2025 · Magazine Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in