Rivian funds engineering partnerships with Georgia colleges, Fort Benning

Electric vehicle startup Rivian announced Thursday five education partnerships and sponsorships across Georgia — all focused on technical training and emerging technologies.

The California-based company, which plans to build a $5 billion Georgia factory and has its East Coast headquarters in Atlanta, committed at least $330,000 to the education initiatives. The partners include the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Piedmont Technical College, Fort Benning and the annual state science and engineering fair.

Rivian is among the automakers and battery companies that selected Georgia for cutting-edge projects, in part, because of the state’s higher education system. Andrew Capezzuto, Rivian’s director of corporate affairs, said the automaker’s pledges will help support the next generation of Peach State engineers, some of whom might work for Rivian in the future.

“We are helping them to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow in an age dominated by rapid innovation and the rise of transformational technologies like (artificial intelligence) and electric vehicles,” he said in a news release.

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Credit: RON JOHNSON

Credit: RON JOHNSON

Rivian’s partnerships with UGA and Georgia Tech both include $150,000 pledges.

In Athens, the automaker is partnering with the UGA College of Engineering to sponsor and provide $75,000 in funding for the school’s Capstone Design program. The other half of the pledge to UGA goes toward a scholarship endowment, which the UGA Foundation will match.

“This partnership with Rivian opens new doors for our students to learn by doing, innovating and solving real-world problems,” Alessandro Orso, UGA College of Engineering dean, said in a news release.

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At Georgia Tech, Rivian’s $150,000 contribution will support the creation of its first Rivian Scholars program. It will award scholarships to students at the institute’s schools focused on mechanical, electrical and computer engineering.

“It will provide students with financial support and hands-on experiences that connect classroom learning to real-world innovation,” said Raheem Beyah, Georgia Tech’s provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs.

Piedmont Technical College next year will also launch the Rivian Technical Trades Program, which will train and develop entry-level technicians. The program will integrate Rivian learning models into its Automotive Service Excellence standard accredited curriculum, intending to prepare potential workers for jobs in Rivian’s service and repair facilities.

Credit: RON JOHNSON

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Next year, Rivian is launching the Rivian Technical Trades Program at Fort Benning, a 15-week training program for veterans to transition out of military service toward EV service and maintenance careers. Graduates will be offered employment opportunities by Rivian upon completion, the company said.

Rivian also announced it will sponsor the 78th Georgia Science and Engineering Fair, which will take place March 26-28 at UGA. Rivian agreed to invest $25,000 to sponsor the fair through 2028.

Cox Enterprises, which owns The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, also owns about a 3% stake in Rivian.

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