WE ARE DRIVING
stronger futures and careers for today’s youth.
WE ARE BUILDING
a place for generations to unite to explore, teach, and learn the mechanical world together.
WE ARE CREATING
Tomorrow’s Toolmen Today.
WE ARE DRIVING stronger futures and careers for today’s youth ages 12 +up.
WE ARE BUILDING a place for generations to explore, teach, and learn the mechanical world together.
WE ARE CREATING Tomorrow’s Toolmen Today.
jobs will go unfilled in the next decade due to the growing skills gap crisis
%
of voters say there should be more funding for skilled trades education
of all skilled trade workers are over 45 and expect to retire before 65
What is Bendix Academy?
A TOOLMANSHIP REVIVAL!
MISSION – Mechanical Self-Reliance
Bendix Academy equips young people with toolmanship, mechanical self-reliance, and career readiness through intergenerational mentorship that builds confidence, maturity, and life-long skills.
VISION – Pre-Workforce Development
Bendix Academy’s vision is to provide its program to any student who wants to learn mechanical self-reliance, and any community who wishes to grow its pre-workforce pipeline.
TOOLMANSHIP
/ˈtuːlmən ● ship/
noun
The skill of using tools and being mechanically inclined.
Tomorrow's Toolmen Today
%
of all skilled trade workers are over 45 and expect to retire before 65
donation changes the future
hardest industry jobs to fill: carpentry, plumbing, electrical & advanced manufacturing
There's a massive skilled labor shortage in America.
Only 1 new skilled trades worker is entering the trades for every 5 who retire.
Bendix Academy is a place for generations to unite to explore, teach, and learn the mechanical world together.
Driven by mentors and a vision of a stronger future, we are preparing today’s youth to drive the skilled workforce of tomorrow.
MENTORS MATTER!
Do you know a mentor?
If you’ve ever considered sharing your time, your curiosity, or simply your willingness to encourage a young person—you belong here!
As we look ahead to a new year, our need for mentors continues to grow. One afternoon a week can change a life, including your own.
If you are interested in mentoring, click here to let us know. Or, if you know someone else willing to share their time and their knowledge with an eager young learning, please share this page with them!
Meet some of our mentors and learn more about their experiences sharing their skills with Bendix Academy students in the posts below.
MENTORS’ MEASURE – Shop Talk 101 – Training Leaders for Tomorrow
Rodney Beckwith mentors students in various...
FRONT PAGE – Why Mentors Matter: Meet the Makers of Mechanical Self-Reliance
Building Confidence, Craftsmanship, and the...
MENTORS’ MEASURE – Jude Louria’s Journey through Tools, Teaching, and Takeoff
As one of Bendix Academy's most recent mentors,...
Become a Student
Become a Mentor
“Bendix Academy changed my life. I started to grow in ways I never expected!“
“Mentoring allows me to convey my skills to young people. My payback? Seeing the smiles on the students’ faces as they grow!”
Bendix Academy and the future of toolmanship belongs to you too!
As a 501(c)3 EIN 84-3993569, our students depend on the generosity of mentor time, donations of tools and materials, and financial support from our community to help upcoming generations of youth secure toolmanship skills. How can you help?
If the stories of our mentors, students, and alumni move you, please consider a donation of any amount, one-time or monthly. 100% of your gift goes to ensuring Bendix Academy is here for generations to come!
Who does your gift of $5 / month help?
With just $5 a month, you help every Bendix Academy student gain hands-on experience in a real workshop—learning how to use tools safely, build with confidence, and explore how toolmanship fits in their future.
Why does $5 / month matter so much?
When you donate just the amount of one latte per month, you TANGIBLY make a difference by helping supplying everything on these shelves, giving young minds a continuous supply of new lessons and educational projects.
TOOLMEN TIMES
Quarterly Newsletter – Vol 2 No 1
Spring, 2026
NEW ISSUE JUST RELEASED!
News about Bendix Academy’s Toolmanship Revival!
Fresh off the press — Read the latest issue of Toolmen Times in any of these ways:
- Download a pdf version here to take with you and share with others, or
- Get the full-length stories here with in-depth articles, bonus photos and videos!
Make sure you never miss an issue when you SIGN UP to receive Quarterly Editions as soon as they are released!
Vol. 2, No. 1 – Spring 2026
The latest issue of Toolman Times explores why toolmanship, mentorship, and mechanical self-reliance still matter in today’s world. Inside, you’ll read how Bendix Academy began, why practical hands-on learning is making a comeback, and how mentors are helping pass critical life skills to the next generation. From reflections on growing up learning by doing to lessons on patience and perseverance, this issue highlights the growing “Toolmanship Revival” taking place at Bendix Academy. Download the full PDF or click the articles below to read more.
Download a pdf version here or click the articles below to read more!
FRONT PAGE – Passing It On To The Next Generation
Every day at Bendix Academy, something substantive is being passed on. We bring together mentors and students who share skills, confidence, and a way of thinking that builds both hands and character, from one generation to the next. As demand grows, from students eager to learn and communities...
FOUNDER’S FORUM – The Way It Was
A Reflection I think about when I grew up in the 70’s. It was a simpler world then, with a lot fewer distractions. By Todd Trainor, Founder and Program Director of Bendix Academy I often sought out time with my dad, eager to use my hands and head to fix things. He gladly taught me how to use...
BOARDROOM BRIEF – Bendix Academy Mission — One Sentence, A Lifetime of Meaning
By Todd Trainor, Bendix Academy Founder & Program Director The formal Bendix Academy Mission Statement reads: “Bendix Academy equips young people with toolmanship, mechanical self-reliance, and career readiness through intergenerational mentorship that builds confidence, maturity, and...
FOUNDER’S FORUM – History of Bendix Academy
By Todd Trainor, Founder and Program Director of Bendix AcademyI am often asked, “How did you come up with the idea for a toolmanship mentoring program?” It’s an interesting beginning, so I thought I would share a brief history of the Bendix Academy Toolmanship Mentoring program—along with the...
TOOLMAN TIPS – The Most Important Tools
Patience & Perseverance In most of our newsletters, we like to share something practical, something you can hold in your hand, adjust, tighten, or fix. But this month, we want to step back and talk about tools that don’t hang on the wall or sit in a toolbox. These are the tools that live in...
DIRECTORS DESK – The Gift of Toolmanship
Passing Toolmanship Forward - And Making Sure Everyone Can Learn Vision: Provide toolmanship mentoring to any student who wants to learn mechanical self-reliance At Bendix Academy, the goal has always been straightforward: Every student who wants to learn toolmanship should have the opportunity to...
THIS STUFF MATTERS
At Bendix, I know I am inspiring young people to pursue their passions.
Bendix directed me down the path that I now travel in the field of mechanics.
Bendix has truly made my son a better person.
The Vision
We’ve got a dream. And we want YOU to be a part of it.
The Blueprint
An exciting plan for a new and brighter future.
The Impact
We’re changing futures – young and old.