Delaware Technical Community College is one of 18 new colleges to join the Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI). The initiative was created by All Within My Hands (AWMH), a nonprofit organization created by Metallica to support communities. AWMH focuses on workforce development and educational initiatives to support communities. Each new college that joins the MSI receives $75,000 to enhance workforce training programs.
“When we launched the Metallica Scholars Initiative, it really spoke to me,” says Metallica front man James “Papa Het” Hetfield. “A collective goal of breaking the stigma of trade skills. Trade skills are vital to society, and what’s even more important is to support the many folks who are trying to create a career by learning and using these skills.”
As Delaware’s only community college, Delaware Tech fits the mission of the nonprofit, and the funding will help further their shared goals. The school focuses on offering academic and technical education along with workforce development, answering the needs of both local students and Delaware’s workforce.
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“We are grateful to All Within My Hands and the American Association of Community Colleges for including Delaware Tech as one of the newest members of the Metallica Scholars Initiative,” says Delaware Tech President Mark T. Brainard. “This generous funding will help us deliver on our mission of responding to the needs of Delaware’s employers through workforce training programs for our state’s high-demand jobs.”
The Metallica Scholars Initiative has helped more than 8,000 students with a wide range of backgrounds find meaningful jobs and careers. Metallica Scholars are often considered non-traditional students with families to support. Often, they’re the first in their families to pursue a college education. AWMH connects students to skill-building opportunities and addresses the talent needs of the American workforce. By utilizing the community college system, the nonprofit taps into the most affordable, flexible, and industry-relevant applied-learning training provider in the country.
“I am so proud — we all are — to see how this program is changing lives by providing much-needed resources to empower students, and it’s great that we’re able to make our biggest grant yet to support these students and the future workforce,” Hetfield enthuses.
“We are reaching even further for year six of the Metallica Scholars Initiative. This year, our program will be in 60 schools in all 50 states!”
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