Toyota has always prioritized serving the communities in which it operates. For Inia Franklin, a senior analyst with Toyota Financial Services (TFS), it’s one of the driving forces behind her commitment to the company.

“It is very gratifying to help support events that connect not only with our members but also with the larger Toyota community,” says the communications chair for the African American Collaborative (AAC), which is one of the company’s business partnering groups (BPGs).

Franklin said she enjoys supporting her colleagues and her community.

“AAC’s mission is to support workplace well-being by facilitating programs to help build careers through impactful networking and relationship-building through community service,” she says. “It has been an honor to see how we have grown and all the amazing things we have accomplished together.”

Like with all BPGs, membership can be beneficial for all participants; it isn’t exclusive to just one group.

“Being a part of the AAC can have a positive impact on any team member’s work experience,” Franklin says. “It can help reduce feelings of isolation and create an identity in ways that might not be possible in your day-to-day job. More than anything, it’s about finding ways to serve others, both your Toyota team members as well as the communities you are a part of. This helps to create a richer and more well-rounded experience at Toyota.”

Fueling the Minds of Future Innovators
Serving those communities is key, but sparking the interests of the next generation and creating career pathways make it even better. Toyota spearheads several initiatives that give back to the communities while simultaneously unlocking the imaginations of future science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) leaders.

A recent example of that took place during a recent Toyota collaboration with The Brotherhood Sister Sol (BroSis) organization in Harlem, New York, and Marysville, Washington.

Together, they hosted several Toyota Mini Makers Garage workshops, which gave children a hands-on opportunity to assemble model cars. Young innovators ages eight to 12 were granted the experience of exploring the world of automotive design and engineering. Guided by Toyota employees, the pint-size makers put their small but mighty hands to work. They learned about craftsmanship and how their constructed vehicles work, all while having the joy that comes with making something with their hands.

“Watching their faces light up when they put on their coveralls and hardhats is an amazing experience,” says Alan Williams, general manager of Toyota’s Quality Systems & Planning. “That gets elevated even more when they assemble their model cars during the workshop.”

Williams has volunteered at the workshops in both locations.

“In both experiences, I left with a sense that at least one of those kids’ lives would be changed based on their experience,” he says. “I have a picture from the New York workshop that I keep on my desktop,” Williams says. “It puts a smile on my face every time I look at it.”

Driving Sustainability Forward 
Another project that put future leaders to work took place at the Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina. Employees teamed up with landscape architecture students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, a local Historically Black College and University (HBCU), to overhaul a 300-acre tract of woodland on the plant’s Liberty, North Carolina site.

Toyota reached out to the agriculture professor to see if students could lend their skills to help the plant while encouraging them to preserve nature. The students’ projects included innovative ideas like nature trails and a platform that floats to help identify fish. One student said her design, “Tranquility Trails,” was created to relieve stress while spending time in the woods. Another student saw an area where kids could learn in a garden classroom or climb platforms in her design called “Wild Wonderwoods.”

The students presented their ideas to Sean Suggs, president of Toyota North Carolina; environmental engineer Natasha Montiel, and engineering manager Darius Weatherford, who’s also a graduate of North Carolina A&T University.

“I am blown away with the level of detail that you all have displayed,” Suggs said during the presentations. “Your ‘thinking way’ and creativity are really impressive.”

The two winning projects are underway at Toyota North Carolina.

Giving Students a Professional Head Start 
One of the keys to starting a successful career is to put your best foot forward. What better way to stand out in a sea of prospective candidates than with a professional headshot and a high-quality resume? The Toyota Career Kickstart at Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s DevCon was created to provide attendees with just that.

Held last summer in Atlanta, Georgia, the inaugural professional development event offered complimentary headshots to 175 first- and second-year students from HBCUs after recognizing a gap in professional development opportunities for students within this demographic.

The event resulted in a total of 65 resumes being reviewed and critiqued. Additionally, 175 resumes were uploaded to Toyota’s career database, giving students an opportunity to be considered for potential jobs and internships with the company.