Jumpstart Automotive Training Center

I’m Larry Witherspoon Jr., Founder and Executive Director of Jumpstart Automotive Training Center, an Atlanta-based nonprofit that provides tuition-free automotive training to youth and young adults from under-resourced communities.

At Jumpstart, we use the automotive industry as a pathway to economic opportunity. Students receive hands-on technical training, industry-recognized certifications, career preparation, and direct connections to employment. We also help remove barriers to success by providing meals, transportation assistance, uniforms, tools, and job placement support.

Our goal is bigger than teaching people how to repair cars. We want our students to develop the skills, confidence, work ethic, and experience they need to build sustainable careers and become thriving leaders in their communities. As we grow, our vision is to expand throughout metro Atlanta and eventually bring the Jumpstart model to communities across the region.