Both organizations are committed to local community development and economic sustainability by providingeducational opportunities that help to build our region’s workforce
Pittsburgh, PA – February 14, 2023 – Rosedale Technical College and #1 Cochran today announced the launch of a philanthropic partnership that will fuel the school’s automotive and collision repair technology programs and bolster its efforts to educate and develop the next generation of skilled technicians. Central to the partnership is the
establishment of the #1 Cochran Technological Excellence Center (#1 Cochran TechEx Center) at Rosedale’s Kennedy Township campus, which will become a cornerstone of innovation for students seeking careers in the high-demand, ever-evolving field of automotive service and collision repair.
With a $2.25 million pledge, #1 Cochran will provide funds and support for the following:
- New technology and training equipment
- $100,000 in annual scholarships based on merit and need
- Enhancements to the automotive and collision classrooms, labs and shop areas
- Collaboration with Rosedale Tech’s outreach team to promote automotive trades as a rewarding and readily accessible career for prospective students
Additionally, #1 Cochran will use the pledge as a catalyst to engage its network of manufacturer and industry
partners to participate in Rosedale’s class-leading educational and training programs.
“This announcement comes at an exciting time as Rosedale Tech moves forward with a strategic focus on collaboration, elevation, and personalization. As leaders in our industries, this partnership shows our shared commitment to offering an elevated education to students and the collaborative efforts to expand the region’s workforce.” said Rosedale Tech’s president Dennis Wilke. “We are grateful for #1 Cochran’s amazing support to help us inspire people to explore trade-related careers, which will impact both the industry and our region in a positive way.”
Rosedale Tech and #1 Cochran separately strive to provide sustainability to the local economy and continue to combat the challenges of the existing labor market by providing opportunities in the skilled trades. As both organizations found ways to collaborate over the years, the partnership naturally came together to culminate
in the #1 Cochran TechEx Center at Rosedale, offering educational opportunities and options to build a more skilled, tech-savvy workforce for our region.
“We are extremely proud to partner with Rosedale Tech as they continue to cultivate, inspire and develop
tomorrow’s automotive technicians,” stated #1 Cochran president and CEO Rob Cochran. “Our industry, like many others, is in dire need of skilled techs. There simply aren’t enough people to do the essential work of
keeping today’s vehicles safe on the road. Through this partnership, we hope to raise awareness of the many benefits of the technician profession, including job security, work-life balance and the ability to turn a passion for cars and trucks into a high-paying career.”
Addressing the demand for graduates of Rosedale Tech’s automotive programs, Mr. Cochran stated, “Students who pursue an automotive trades degree from this great college will have employers – including us and fellow auto retailers locally and across the region – lining up with offers in hand. It’s a great feeling to contribute to something that will benefit our entire industry.”
For more information on #1 Cochran Technological Excellence Center, click Here.
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About Rosedale Technical College
Rosedale Technical College is a 501(c)(3) private, non-profit higher education institution located in Kennedy Township, PA. Rosedale Tech offers training for eight high-demand skilled labor industries, such as automotive, collision repair, construction electricity, diesel, HVAC, industrial electricity, truck driving, and welding. The college was recently ranked
11th on Forbes’ list of Top 25 two-year trade schools in the nation based off of post-graduate success, affordability, graduation completion rates, and overall student experience. Since 2012, Rosedale Tech has been recognized as a Military Friendly® school by VIQTORY and was ranked seventh on the top 10 list for the 2021-2022 school year.
About #1 Cochran
#1 Cochran is Western Pennsylvania’s leading automotive retailer and the 61st largest dealer group in the nation, serving customers throughout the Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia tri-state area. Founded in 1965 as a single-point Pontiac dealership, the company today operates 32 new-vehicle franchises representing 19 domestic and imported brands. #1 Cochran’s physical footprint spans five PA counties—Allegheny, Butler, Washington, Westmoreland, Cambria—and now Mahoning County, OH. The company also operates 10 Body by Cochran Collision Centers and a centralized wholesale parts distribution center. Through its various sales, service, parts, collision and administrative operations, #1 Cochran employs more than 1,500 team members and has been voted a Pittsburgh Top Workplace for 12 consecutive years. The Pittsburgh region’s ninth largest privately held company, #1 Cochran is recognized as an industry leader in customer experience and community partnership. More information is available at cochran.com.