Metallica Scholars Initiative Enters Fourth Year

Washington, D.C. (July 12, 2022) – Middlesex Community College was selected from a competitive field of community colleges across the country to receive $100,000 to transform the future of students in the community.

Since establishing the Metallica Scholars Initiative in 2019, All Within My Hands (AWMH) has been working with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) to provide direct support for career and technical education programs across the U.S. Having grown from a concept to a thriving educational strategy that focuses on enhancing skills while providing services to students looking to enter a traditional trade or other applied learning program, the Metallica Scholars Initiative has generated a proven and measurable impact. AWMH will replicate the program further by adding 10 more schools to the roster, investing $1.8 million to expand in year four.

“Our goal for the Metallica Scholars Initiative is to shine a light on workforce education and support the next generation of tradespeople,” said Pete Delgrosso, Executive Director, All Within My Hands. “With the addition of the 2022-2023 Metallica Scholars program, our grants will reach over 2,000 men and women in 32 community colleges across 27 states. We are honored to support these students of all ages and backgrounds and look forward to growing the program even farther in the future.”

Direct impact on job and wage growth drives the Metallica Scholars Initiative. On average, students who complete the program see new job opportunities and increased salary potential up to three times higher than pre-program. Middlesex will focus its efforts on the need for employees trained in Electronic Technology – one of the region’s most high-demand industries. The college’s goal is to elevate students’ skill sets by meeting industry standards, and raising the level of academic programs offered.

“We are thrilled to receive this funding from the Metallica Scholars Initiative ­– and grateful to the historic band Metallica – for the opportunity to join a respected cohort of community colleges across the country who hold this honor,” said Phil Sisson, MCC’s President. “Middlesex is a leader of educating the workforce, equipping employees with necessary training and skills to fill much needed employment gaps within the Commonwealth. With a focus on hands-on learning inside and outside of the classroom, an education from MCC helps our students go on to start careers that are more stable and better paying. This funding will enable us to better reach a population who will thrive from these opportunities the most, ultimately transforming their futures in innumerable ways.”

Funded by Metallica’s All Within My Hands (AWMH) and led by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the Metallica Scholars Initiative is designed to directly support students while elevating the importance of career and technical education. Metallica continues to use its global platform to speak out on the dignity of professional trades and community colleges that prepare students.

“It is critical to partner with innovative programs like the MCC, who provide the means and resources for upskilling employees,” said Marg Drouin of Aved Electronics. “The Manufacturing Industry has lagged other industries in diversity and inclusion, but with the resources provided MCC, we are able to change this narrative. Through ESA and print reading course as well as basic electrical classes and BMS design we are provided with the opportunity to increase our engineer pool, close skill gaps, and provide employees with more opportunities, and increase employee retention.”

Working closely with the AACC, a Washington D.C.-based advocate for not-for-profit, public-serving institutions, AWMH has selected ten schools to receive $100,000 each to transform the future of students in their communities. The extensive proposal process received an incredible amount of interest, and the applications were of the highest quality. Each of the ten institutions chosen intends to prioritize students interested in the skilled trades as a pathway to economic development.

“The Metallica Scholars program has proven to provide significant resources for community college students looking to learn the skills needed for today’s workforce,” said Walter G. Bumphus, AACC’s president and CEO. “We are honored to partner with the All Within My Hands Foundation to continue to expand this opportunity for community colleges and their students.”

The ten schools are:

· Clark State Community College - Springfield, Ohio

· East Central College - Union, Missouri

· Guilford Technical Community College – Jamestown, North Carolina

· Hudson County Community College - Jersey City, New Jersey

· Middlesex Community College -Lowell, Massachusetts

· Milwaukee Area Technical College - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

· Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College - Perkinston, Mississippi

· Rockland Community College – Suffern, New York

· Salt Lake Community College – Salt Lake City, Utah

· San Juan College – Farmington, New Mexico

The newly added community colleges are joining an already established core of 22 schools that have been invited to continue as a Metallica Scholars school. Each year the returning colleges play an integral role in onboarding, to help the new schools hit the ground running.

The returning schools are:

· Central Community College - Grand Island, Nebraska

· Central Piedmont Community College - Charlotte, North Carolina

· Clackamas Community College - Oregon City, Oregon

· Clinton Community College - Clinton, Iowa

· College of Lake County - Grayslake, Illinois

· Columbia Gorge Community College - The Dalles, Oregon

· Community College of Baltimore County - Baltimore, Maryland

· Elizabethtown Community and Technical College - Elizabethtown, Kentucky

· Gateway Technical College - Kenosha, Wisconsin

· Grand Rapids Community College - Grand Rapids, Michigan

· Lone Star College - Houston, Texas

· North Idaho College - Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

· Northern Virginia Community College - Annandale, Virginia

· Northwest-Shoals Community College - Muscle Shoals, Alabama

· Pima County Community College - Tucson, Arizona

· Polk State College – Winter Haven, Florida

· Spokane Community College, Spokane, Washington

· Valencia College – Orlando, Florida

· Victor Valley College - Victorville, California

· West Virginia University Parkersburg - Parkersburg, West Virginia

· Westchester Community College – Westchester, New York

· WSU Tech – Wichita, Kansas

The 32 colleges across the country are encouraged to use the AWMH grant as the local industry dictates in terms of program and training. To provide skilled and educated tradespeople ready for the local workforce, Metallica Scholars programs include:

· Automation and Robotics

· Automotive Technology

· Aviation

· Computer-Aided Drafting & Design

· Computerized Manufacturing (CNC)

· Construction Technology & Carpentry

· Diesel Technology

· Electrical Engineering

· Healthcare

· Heating & Ventilation (HVAC)

· Heavy Equipment Operator

· Hospitality

· Industrial Maintenance Technology

· Manufacturing & Machining

· Mechanical Design

· Mechatronics Engineering

· Process Technology

· Trucking

· Welding

To learn more about the Metallica Scholars Initiative, please visit AllWithinMyHands.org/Metallica-Scholars.

About All Within My Hands (AWMH)

Established by the members and management of Metallica in 2017 as a means to invest in the people and places that have supported the band, the Foundation is focused on supporting sustainable communities through workforce education, the fight against hunger, and other critical local services. All expenses of the Foundation are covered by the band, the board, and a few special friends so that 100% of donations go to the organizations it supports. AWMH is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

About American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)

As the voice of the nation’s community colleges, the AACC delivers educational and economic opportunity for more than 10 million diverse students searching for the American Dream. Uniquely dedicated to access and success for all students, AACC’s nearly 1,100 member colleges provide an on-ramp to degree attainment, skilled careers and family-supporting wages. Located in Washington, D.C., AACC advocates for these not-for-profit, public-serving institutions to ensure they have the resources and support they need to deliver on the mission of increasing economic mobility for all.