The Western Equipment Dealers Association (WEDA) is thrilled to announce that over $150,000 was raised at the recent WEDA International Dealer Conference for WEDA’s Foundations. Funds raised will go toward scholarships to support career and technical education programs for ag equipment technicians.
Recognizing critical labour shortages of properly trained dealership employees, the Canada Equipment Dealers Foundation (CEDF) and the Western Equipment Dealers Foundation (WEDF) were established as the arms-length charitable organizations of the Western Equipment Dealers Association. Focusing on professional education and workforce development issues specific to the industry, the Foundations help to fund educational programs and services for agricultural, industrial and outdoor power equipment dealers across North America.
The CEDF was established in 1998, and since inception it has distributed over $2.5 million in Canada to current and prospective dealership employees, colleges for training programs, scholarships and capital funding. WEDA, and its Canadian predecessor, the Canada West Equipment Dealers Association, has also provided capital funding to Olds College, Assiniboine Community College, Parkland College and Sask Polytechnic through the CEDF.
Since its inception in 2015, the WEDF has raised more than $110,000 through fundraising events and $70,000 has been spent on scholarships and other programs. “With the addition of last week’s funds this brings us close to $250,000,” said John Schmeiser, CEO, WEDA. “We’re excited to continue to award more scholarships to dealer employees to support career and technical education programs for ag equipment technicians.”