Vipar Heavy Duty is sponsoring an Northwood University student intern during Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week, allowing him to participate in Vipar’s activities during the conference.

John Wilson is a senior in the aftermarket management program at the Midland, Mich.-based school. Vipar said he will actively participate in all HDAW activities. Wilson will help the staff at the Vipar booth, walk the show floor, shadow Vipar personnel in sales, program management and marketing, and learn how the industry works.

The HDAW internship program is a joint project of the Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA), GenNext and Northwood University.

The program, now in its second year, chose 21 students to receive scholarships for 2016. Each company sponsorship covers their intern’s airfare, airport transport, hotel stay, meals, and Heavy Duty Aftermarket Dialogue and HDAW registration.

The HDAW intern program is seen as an opportunity to expose Northwood University aftermarket management majors to all of the career opportunities available in the heavy-duty aftermarket.  

“Students get to learn about the industry, their sponsor company and gain real-world trade show experience all in four days,” said Donna Wagner, chair of the aftermarket management program at Northwood University. “Students attending HDAW end up being ambassadors for the heavy-duty industry. In turn, sponsoring companies get to know potential new employees. It’s an excellent example of how industry and education can work together.”

Vipar Heavy Duty is a North American network of independent aftermarket truck parts distributors with more than 500 locations in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico.