YANG Launches 2026 Mentorship Program
BETHESDA, Md. – October 22, 2025 – The Young Auto Care Network Group (YANG), a 
community of the Auto Care Association, recently launched its 2026 YANG Mentorship Program. Now in its fourth year, the program has received an astounding level of interest, averaging 115 mentee and 23 volunteer mentor participants in the program each year. The program is free to participate for anyone under the age of 40 who joins the YANG community.
“The YANG Mentorship Program is where experience meets ambition in the auto care industry,” said Tanya Hunt, chair, YANG. “The connections built through this program strengthen our industry by inspiring collaboration, learning and mutual respect across generations. Mentorship is one of the most powerful ways we can grow together – so, get a mentor, be a mentor, and help shape the future of the aftermarket."
Mentorship Circles
Each YANG mentee will rank industry-specific topics by preference to form mentorship circles. Examples of topics include: Navigating the Aftermarket; Moving Up the Ladder; How to Grow Your Career; Entrepreneurism; Aftermarket Career Journey; and more. Each mentorship circle consisted of approximately five mentees and one mentor focused on a unique circle topic.
Groups will be assigned after registration closes on Nov. 30. Participants will then join the YANG Mentorship Program Kick-off Meeting in January 2026. Each Mentor Circle meets once per quarter in 2026. The program takes place January 2026 through December 2026.
Experiencing the pillars of YANG
The goal of the Mentorship Program is for the YANG mentees to experience all three YANG pillars in one program: networking, professional development and giving back. Through this unique, small-group mentorship program, mentees will benefit from the wisdom of experienced and successful aftermarket veterans.
The YANG Mentorship Program is designed for young professionals in the automotive aftermarket who are passionate about their growth and development. The program provides opportunities for members to focus on individual professional goals, while acquiring the tools to become tomorrow’s leaders.
To learn more and sign up, visit autocare.org/yang. Contact YANG Community Engagement Manager Mary Ieng, at mary.ieng@autocare.org for any questions.