PowerCo Canada and Indspire Launch Indigenous Education Award to Support Students in Southwestern Ontario
► $150,000 in total funding to support Indigenous students in Southwestern Ontario, including $75,000 from PowerCo Canada matched by the Government of Canada.
► 22 education awards worth $6,000 each for eligible Indigenous students from eight First Nations communities.
► Supporting access to post-secondary education and future-focused careers, with a focus on reducing financial barriers and creating pathways into fields such as STEM.
ST. THOMAS, ONTARIO – September 29, 2026 – PowerCo Canada is proud to announce a partnership with Indspire, a national charity that invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people, to support educational opportunities for Indigenous students in Southwestern Ontario through the PowerCo Indigenous Education Award.
PowerCo Canada is contributing $75,000 to the award program, with the contribution matched by the Government of Canada, bringing the total funding to $150,000 in support of Indigenous students who may face financial barriers to accessing post-secondary education.
“As PowerCo Canada looks to advance next-generation manufacturing and battery cell production in Ontario, we know that STEM skills will play an important role in shaping what comes next,” said Norman Wickbolt, Chief Human Resources Officer, PowerCo Canada. “This award is intended to help reduce financial barriers for Indigenous students pursuing post-secondary education, while helping students pursue opportunities in a range of future-focused fields and industries.”
The PowerCo Indigenous Education Award will provide 22 awards valued at $6,000 each to eligible Indigenous students from eight First Nations communities with whom PowerCo is building relationships.
“STEM-related education can create pathways to high-value opportunities in growing sectors, but Indigenous students continue to face barriers in pursuing post-secondary education,” said Jocelyn W. Formsma, President & CEO of Indspire. “We are proud to work with PowerCo Canada to help more Indigenous learners access these pathways and invest in the next generation of leaders, innovators and professionals.”
“We are focused on developing respectful, long-term relationships with Indigenous communities in the region,” said Erin Chreptyk, Senior Indigenous Affairs Specialist, PowerCo Canada. “The PowerCo Indigenous Education Award reflects one way we can support community priorities, including education and skills development, while helping Indigenous students pursue their goals.”
Applications for the PowerCo Indigenous Education Award are currently being accepted through Indspire for the November 1, 2026, and February 1, 2027, application deadlines, or until all awards have been allocated. Indigenous students from the seven eligible First Nations communities are encouraged to learn more about eligibility requirements and apply through the PowerCo Indigenous Education Award webpage.
About Indspire
Indspire is an Indigenous national charity that celebrates Indigenous excellence and invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people for the long-term benefit of these individuals, their families and communities, and Canada. With the support of its funding partners, Indspire provides financial awards, delivers programs and shares resources so that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis students will achieve their highest potential. In 2024–25, Indspire provided more than $31.6 million through over 8,800 bursaries and scholarships to First Nations, Inuit and Métis students across Canada.
About PowerCo Canada
Founded in 2022 to become a global battery champion, PowerCo SE is a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, one of the world’s leading car companies and a pioneer in e-mobility. Headquartered in St. Thomas, Ontario, PowerCo Canada will steer all activities of the battery company in North America. With an investment of up to $7 billion, the St. Thomas gigafactory is PowerCo’s third and largest project globally
Media Inquiries
Tegan Versolatto, Sr. Media Relations & Content Specialist
PowerCo Canada
Email: Tegan.versolatto@powerco.ca,
Phone: 226-688-8296
Mallory Rose, Vice President, Communications & Marketing
Indspire
Email: mrose@indspire.ca
Phone: (416) 861-8507
