WCC students (from left) Tess Schroeder, Jason Winterhalter and Carter Lillie practice customizing a Ford Bronco in preparation for their participation in a live build at the 2026 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. (Photo by JD Scott)
Washtenaw Community College and Ford Motor Company are partnering for the Ford Custom Garage Ultimate Build, a live Ford Bronco build at the 2026 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show next week in Las Vegas.
Six WCC students will work in teams during a two-day, public-facing build intended to mirror a real-world shop environment at the 2026 SEMA Show November 3-6 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
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The experience will connect WCC Transportation Technologies students with industry professionals while showcasing hands-on automotive skills on a national stage.
The initiative is designed to connect classroom learning with real-world application through collaboration, design, fabrication, communication and professional engagement.
WCC students Claire Crandall, Rocco Guido, Carter Lillie, Tess Schroeder, Kaley Williams and Jason Winterhalter were selected to participate through a competitive application process.
Selection considered academic performance, essay quality and motivation, faculty recommendation, professionalism and communication, and teamwork readiness and commitment. The selected students represent both Automotive Services and Auto Body Repair programs at WCC.
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“Manufacturers nationwide will need millions of highly skilled workers in the coming years. Education-industry partnerships like ours with Ford are essential to preparing the next generation of automotive professionals,” said WCC President Dr. Rose B. Bellanca. "This one-of-a-kind experience at SEMA gives our students a national stage to showcase the skills they’ve developed at WCC, learn alongside industry professionals and build connections that can help launch their careers."
According to a new report, “The Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades: A National Report,” supported by BlackRock, Carhartt, Ford and Google, more workers in the United States are aging out of skilled trades jobs than are entering. Data shows that 24% of the trades workforce nationally is 55 or over and nearing an exit, while just 11% of workers are under 25.
“SEMA gives these students a national stage to put their skills to work, but this partnership is about much more than one build,” said Matt Simpson, executive director of Ford Customization. “By putting real vehicles in students’ hands and connecting them with people working across our industry, we’re helping create a clearer path from the classroom to rewarding automotive careers. That’s an investment in the skilled talent our industry needs for the future.”
Beginning in August 2026, the six students enrolled in a course specifically designed to prepare them for the live build.
Their preparation has included hands-on work disassembling and reassembling components on a Ford Bronco and a field trip to the SEMA Garage, with an emphasis on safety and tool use, technical readiness, professional conduct, and public engagement.
Leading up to SEMA, Ford has presented a Ford Speaker Series for students. Eight sessions covered topics such as the business behind Ford customization, the aftermarket and dealer business, OEM vehicle personalization, SEMA-worthy designs, hands-on customization, automotive product development, and marketing and preparation for the event, led by leaders, engineers and designers at Ford.
Onsite at the show, SEMA attendees will design their own Ford Custom Garage-style concept builds using a digital configurator, and students will disassemble designated components, install selected aftermarket upgrades, reassemble the vehicle and present the completed build. The experience emphasizes safety, quality execution, communication, coordination and exposure to real-world workflow and pacing.
The collaboration also extends beyond the live build.
WCC Digital Video student Serge Gregory of Ann Arbor has been documenting the experience from the beginning of the class in August through the live build in Las Vegas. The resulting footage will be used to create a documentary for Ford and WCC and will also support Gregory’s academic requirements toward his degree.
Tags: Industry Partnerships, SEMA, Transportation Technologies