Karl Maruyama

The mission of the Piston Foundation is to bring more young people into the trades of the collector car industry and help today’s automotive craftspeople transfer their skills to a new and diverse generation of technicians. === The Piston Foundation is a public charity that promotes and funds skilled trade education for people who want to pursue careers in collector car restoration and service. The Foundation has a mission to bring more young people into the trades of the collector car industry and help today’s automotive craftspeople transfer their skills to a new and diverse generation of technicians. The Foundation reduces barriers to education and on-the-job training so new technicians can gain the skills they need to build rewarding and successful careers. The Piston Foundation has two programs: the Piston Fund and the Piston Academy. The Piston Fund provides scholarships to students with an interest in vehicle restoration who are enrolled in a two- or four-year technical education program. The Piston Academy places qualified technicians who are ready to build a career in collector car restoration into hands-on apprenticeships at leading shops around the country. To qualify, scholars and apprentices must demonstrate academic achievement, technical skills, and financial need. The Foundation provides mentoring, coaching, and career guidance to the scholars and apprentices participating in our programs. The Piston Foundation was launched in January 2021 as a national car community charity and workforce development platform to serve future restoration technicians across the U.S.. With a part-time staff of four and a group of 30 volunteers and advisors, the Foundation has raised $263,000 and is ready for exponential growth in 2023.