Toyota, whose national headquarters is currently based in Plano, is creating a new $110-million education and community-focused program called Driving Possibilities. Through the program, Toyota will build on its 60-year history of supporting communities across the nation by working with academia as well as local and national nonprofits to encourage education and career-readiness.
Driving Possibilities will be funded in part by Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) and Toyota Financial Services (TFS). The program will be implemented through a phased rollout in the company’s operational communities across the U.S., with the goal of both innovating education and making it more accessible.
“We need to better prepare the workforce of the future by providing a broader education and getting the next generation ready for high-growth careers,” said CEO of Toyota North America Ted Ogawa. “In addition, addressing inequities that create barriers to success will help improve lives throughout the U.S.”
The program will focus on Pre K-12 education as it expands on Toyota’s existing programs nationwide. Toyota modeled the program after the early success of a PreK-8 STEM school that recently began opening in phases in West Dallas.
The West Dallas STEM School is a joint effort by the Dallas Independent School District, Southern Methodist University, Toyota, and the West Dallas community. The school is founded on a project-based STEM program that provides professional teacher development, coordinates local services, and continues to employ ongoing research.
“Through our active partnerships with communities across the U.S., we collaborate to improve education and help shape the future for the next generation,” said Mark Templin, CEO of Toyota Financial Services. “We invite other businesses to join with us in this shared purpose.”
Driving Possibilities will include engagement efforts that focus on critical needs within the communities where it is established, such as food insecurity, job training, and mobility services. Toyota stated that the company intends to partner with educators, nonprofits, other businesses, and local government to determine and address these needs.
