A new 2024 Ford Mustang GT will be a powerful learning tool, and maybe also a powerful recruiting tool, at Northern Westmoreland Career & Technology Center in New Kensington.

The vapor-blue metallic sports car was one of more than 100 Mustangs damaged by flooding while in storage outside a plant in Chicago, said Robert Young, a technician placement specialist with Ford in Cranberry.

Although the cars cannot be sold, they remain driveable with all functions working, he said.

Ford chose to donate them to schools across the country, Young said, because many students are learning on vehicles that are 10 to 15 years old with dated technology.

The exact number of cars donated was not immediately available. Between five and seven were dispersed in each of 32 regions, with Northern Westmoreland getting one of seven in its region covering parts of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and New York, Young said.

The 2024 Ford Mustang GT starts at about $31,000.

“Equipment like this allows our students to experience modern technology that they’re going to encounter when they enter the workforce,” said Jason Hicks, director of Northern Westmoreland. “It’s inspiring to see the company supporting our kids and making them career-ready.”

Getting students ready will be important because, according to Young, the industry’s workforce is aging and more than 600,000 new technicians will be needed as they retire.

Northern Westmoreland was selected to get a car based on its participation in Ford’s Automotive Career Exploration program. Northern Westmoreland’s program is sponsored by Shults Ford in Harmar.

When Ford said it was looking to donate a vehicle, Shults made sure Northern Westmoreland got one, said John Fabac, the dealership’s service director.

Many of Fabac’s technicians have been students at the school. Right now, five of 26 graduated from there.

“It’s a real pleasure for us to be able to do this for this school,” Fabac said. “They deserve it, and we’re glad to do it.”

Northern Westmoreland has 519 students from the Kiski Area, Burrell, New Kensington-Arnold and Franklin Regional school districts. There are 56 students in the automotive technology program.

Before the arrival of the Mustang, Northern Westmoreland had five vehicles for its students to work on, the newest being a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado, automotive technology instructor Charles Cooper said. The last donation of a new vehicle, a Jeep Wagoneer, was 10 years ago and the school no longer has it.

“To say that we are appreciative would be an understatement,” Cooper said. “The technology that’s on that vehicle isn’t on a 2007. It would be impossible to teach the different kinds of driver aids that are on there.”

Working on the car will give students familiarity with current and up-to-date products, Fabac said.

“This 2024 is way more technologically advanced than a 2007. It’s apples and oranges,” he said. “A laptop has become an essential tool for every technician in the shop. You can’t work without a laptop.”

Shults sponsored Northern Westmoreland seniors who competed at the Greater Pittsburgh Dealers Association competition. Kenny Hagerich, 17, of Lower Burrell placed first and won an $11,000 scholarship he will use at the Community College of Allegheny County.

Hagerich hasn’t had a chance to work on the Mustang.

“It’s a good opportunity to learn how to work on the new stuff,” he said. “I’m super grateful we got the car. It shows we’re ahead of the game. It lets a lot of people know what we have here is great.”

Ashley Zielinski, 17, a junior from New Kensington, is one of five girls in the automotive technology program. With an interest in cars, she started attending the school this year to learn about and work on them.

She said she might get to work on the Mustang after spring break.

“I’m excited. I really like Mustangs, especially ’80s Mustangs. It sounds beautiful,” she said. “I’m excited to see what we do with that car, what diabolical plans Mr. Cooper has for it.”

Hagerich said they plan to put a new exhaust on the car. They’ll start it when eighth grade students come to tour the school.

“We just want to show it off,” he said. “It’s going to be pretty loud. It will sound good.”