Eleven community colleges are joining the growing Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI) family.
The workforce education initiative was launched in 2019 by Metallica’s All Within My Hands (AWMH) foundation in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). With the addition of these new 11 colleges, MSI now directly supports 42 community colleges across 33 states to enhance their career and technical education programs.
To date, Metallica and their foundation have invested more than $6 million in the American workforce and supported more than 5,000 Metallica Scholars.
“Colleges across the country provide pathways to well-paying jobs through programs, services and training that lead to in-demand skills, certificates and degrees for students. These programs are responsive to the needs of local businesses and provide a pipeline of qualified workers to local industry,” AACC President and CEO Walter G. Bumphus said. “Partners like Metallica that continue to provide support for community colleges help us to showcase the importance of investing in the transformative power of community college education.”
Supporting career training
Reaffirming a commitment to career and technical education at the local level, each new college brings incredible opportunities to a thriving and growing community, says AWMH Executive Director Peter Delgrosso.
“The Metallica Scholars Initiative is a strong and cooperative community of the nation’s best community colleges creating a supportive climate for participants to communicate directly and share best practices. As a result, our Metallica Scholars leave the program well-trained and confident,” Delgrosso said. “Ultimately the impact is felt in their local communities, and on the national scale, as Metallica Scholars enter the workforce and fill, or create much needed workforce and technical positions.”
The 11 new MSI colleges will each receive $100,000 to enhance the student experience as they receive career training for economic development.
The colleges are:
- Aiken Technical College (South Carolina)
- Central Wyoming College
- Columbia State Community College (Tennessee)
- Front Range Community College (Colorado)
- Itawamba Community College (Mississippi)
- Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
- Oxnard College (Ventura County Community College District) (California)
- South Central College (Minnesota)
- South Louisiana Community College
- Texas State Technical College
- Western Dakota Technical College (South Dakota)
The 31 colleges from previous cohorts are invited to continue with the program. Each year the returning colleges play an integral part in helping guide the success of the new schools.
Expanding workforce opportunities
What began with 10 colleges and mostly manufacturing programs in its first round in 2019 has developed into a diverse list of workforce opportunities for students interested in gaining the skills and training necessary to find meaningful and well-paying careers in fields and positions.
Included among those fields are agriculture, automation and robotics, aviation, culinary arts, cybersecurity, healthcare, HVAC, industrial maintenance technology, mechatronics, trucking and welding.
