Huntsville City Schools (HCS) is proud to announce a new partnership with Mazda Toyota Manufacturing (MTM) through the launch of its Leading Industry Growth by Helping Teachers (LIGHT) Program. This initiative is designed to strengthen career technical education by providing students with access to industry expertise and real-world technical skills.

The LIGHT Program will embed an MTM professional directly into classrooms at the Huntsville City Schools Center for Technology. In this role, the instructor’s aide will work alongside teachers and students to enhance instruction with practical workplace knowledge, bridging the gap between education and industry. MTM Group Leader Courtney Franklin will begin serving in this position in August 2025.

“Connecting students with today’s workforce is essential to preparing them for tomorrow’s opportunities,” said Zac McWhorter, Career Technical Director at Huntsville City Schools. “The LIGHT Program is a groundbreaking approach that allows our students to gain firsthand exposure to the skills, knowledge, and workplace simulations that will help them succeed in their future careers.”

Since 2018, the automotive joint venture has prioritized educational outreach; MTM’s parent companies Mazda and Toyota celebrated their groundbreaking with a $750,000 gift earmarked for STEM education and workforce development in North Alabama. The MTM Grant Fund, which began grantmaking in 2022, has provided close to $1 million in funding to local programs that include school districts, STEM education, and workforce programming. The LIGHT Program furthers MTM’s mission to increase tangible industry support to educators and students – support that has previously reached over 20,000 students and almost a dozen school districts through MTM’s partnerships and giving.

“MTM is making a long-term investment in our schools and future workforce by sharing its expertise with our teachers and students,” said David Fernandes, Senior Vice President at MTM. “We are thrilled to see this partnership with Huntsville City Schools take shape and look forward to the positive impact it will bring to the classroom and beyond.”

The LIGHT Program will initially operate at the Huntsville City Schools Center for Technology for up to three school years, with hopes of expanding participation to additional schools in the future as the program grows.

Students learning about MTM careers from LIGHT Instructors A LIGHT instructor showing a student how to operate a piece of equipment LIGHT instructors showing equipment to a group of students

Huntsville Center for Technology

Huntsville City Schools Partners With Mazda Toyota Manufacturing on Innovative Education Program