DENSO Donates Racetrack to Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan

-Donation supports efforts to inspire students' interest in STEM careers, strengthen career preparedness-

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Jul 01, 2019, 09:00 ET

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., July 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- DENSO, the world's second largest mobility supplier, recently donated a racetrack to Junior Achievement (JA) of Southeastern Michigan. The racetrack will be used as part of the chapter's JA STEMworks! programs, which are designed to introduce middle and high school students to a variety of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) related careers.

"DENSO's racetrack donation supports our continuous efforts to spark students' imaginations and help build the future workforce," said Kenichiro Ito, senior executive officer for DENSO Corporation and chief executive officer of DENSO's North American Headquarters. "By exposing students to STEM education, they learn how they too can create innovations that propel society forward. As a leading mobility supplier, it's our responsibility to positively contribute to these experiences and set young learners up for success."

At JA STEMworks! events, students participate in a variety of hands-on activities, including programming and coding exercises and CAD (computer-aided drafting) experimentation, as well as a race car building challenge using a variety of materials and the skills they learned throughout the day. Professionals currently employed in STEM fields speak with students about their work and how the STEMworks! activities relate to real-life careers.

"By offering these programs to students exploring their futures, we hope to encourage their interest and excitement in STEM fields," said Jennifer Champion, vice president of development and marketing at JA of Southeastern Michigan. "We're grateful for DENSO's donation, as it represents part of a larger effort to bolster the numbers of students entering STEM professions."

As technology continues to develop and change the workplace, an estimated 4.6 million manufacturing jobs will be needed over the next decade. However, more than 2 million of these jobs are projected to go unfilled due to the skills gap – and manufacturers are already reporting shortages of qualified applicants for open positions. As part of DENSO's long-term policy, which aims to create new value for future mobility, the company is committed to addressing the skilled labor talent gap by inspiring future professionals to pursue STEM-related careers.

For more information on DENSO's vision for STEM education and recruitment, visit its sustainability webpage. To learn more about Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan and its programs, go to its homepage.

About DENSO
DENSO is a $48.3 billion global mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in its 221 facilities in 35 countries to produce thermal, powertrain, mobility, electrification, & electronic systems, to create jobs that directly change how the world moves. The company's 170,000+ employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents, and preserves the environment. Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO spent 9.3 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019. For more information about global DENSO, visit https://www.denso.com/global.

In North America, DENSO employs 27,000+ engineers, researchers and skilled workers across 31 sites in the U.S, Canada and Mexico. In the United States alone, DENSO employs 17,000+ employees across 13 states and 25 sites. Headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, in fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, DENSO in North America generated $10.9 billion in consolidated sales. Join us, and craft not only how the world moves, but also your career. For more information, go to https://www.denso.com/us-ca/en/.

SOURCE DENSO