For the third straight year, Valencia College has been selected to serve as a Metallica Scholars college – and will receive $25,000 to provide training in trades and technical education to students in Central Florida.
Since establishing the Metallica Scholars Initiative in 2019, Metallica’s All Within My Hands (AWMH) foundation 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. For 2022-23, AWMH will invest $1.8 million to expand the program, adding 10 more colleges to the roster of 22 colleges that are already Metallica Scholar colleges.
“Our goal for the Metallica Scholars Initiative is to shine a light on workforce education and support the next generation of tradespeople. 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,” said Pete Delgrosso, executive director of Metallica’s All Within My Hands foundation.
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 before they enrolled in a technical or trades training program.
“We are so grateful for the opportunity to partner for another year with Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation,” said Valencia College President Kathleen Plinske. “The Metallica Scholars Initiative highlights career pathways in the trades and provides funding for student scholarships for Valencia College’s Accelerated Skills Training, allowing Central Florida residents to prepare for high-wage jobs that are in high demand.”
Valencia College will prioritize scholarships for unemployed individuals and those who are underemployed – providing them with training to become welders, heavy construction equipment operators, industrial maintenance technicians or commercial truck drivers.
The training that students receive in the programs is life changing and their stories are often inspiring. To help spread the message about Metallica Scholars, All Within My Hands and Metallica spotlight the students’ accomplishments, spreading the word to the band’s millions of fans.
“The Metallica Scholars Initiative program has provided invaluable tuition support for our Accelerated Skills Training students who otherwise would not have been able to enroll in our programs,” said Carolyn McMorran, assistant vice president of professional continuing education at Valencia College. “But we are especially grateful for the support that Metallica gives to community colleges, helping us spread the message about the value and dignity of trade careers. That support is priceless.”
For the fourth year of the Metallica Scholars Initiative, the 10 new member schools will receive $100,000 each to transform the lives of students in their communities. The extensive proposal process received an incredible amount of interest from community colleges around the country.
“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.”
To learn more about Valencia’s Metallica Scholars Initiative and how you could become a Metallica Scholar, please visit https://valenciacollege.edu/campaign/metallica-scholars.php
