Thanks to the band Metallica, Clackamas Community College is moving more heavy metal into its career technical education programs. The college is one of 10 recipients of a $100,000 grant from the Metallica Scholars Initiative, funded by Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation (AWMH).
That’s right: “Metallica Scholar” is now an actual thing, and not just what you told her parents you were when you flunked out of school for listening to too much heavy metal music.
This major workforce education initiative provides direct support to community colleges to enhance their career and technical education programs. These programs provide skills and services to students who are looking to enter a traditional trade or other applied learning program. CCC is one of 10 community colleges from across the country chosen through a competitive proposal process to receive $100,000 to support students training to enter the American workforce. These students will become the first cohort of Metallica Scholars.
“CCC is proud to provide a cost-effective education for students to pursue ‘metals’ careers working in automotive, welding and computer controlled machine manufacturing in greater Portland,” CCC President Tim Cook says. “For metals students, tuition is only half the battle. Our students, many of whom are low income, struggle to purchase the tools and textbooks needed for successful study, apprenticeship and employment in their chosen careers. I believe elevating the profile of career and technical education through Metallica Scholars could forge a path out of poverty for many in our community.”
Partnering with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), a Washington, D.C.-based organization that represents the nation’s 1,103 community colleges, the Metallica Scholars awards are designed to provide support of relevant job skill training for community college students, reinvest in communities that supported Metallica during its recent United States tours, and leverage the influence of Metallica to elevate the importance of career and technical education.
CCC will use the grant funding to purchase tools, textbooks, personal protective equipment for low-income students studying computer numerical control, industrial technology, welding and automotive technology. In addition to the tools, equipment and textbooks, the CCC cohort of Metallica Scholars will receive resume and interview prep and practice, job and/or internship placement assistance, advising, career coaching and additions support in transportation, books and supplies.
“The All Within My Hands Foundation and Metallica are proud to announce this major new initiative,” Dr. Edward Frank, executive director of AWMH, says. “While the foundation continues our support for the fight against hunger and emergency community aid, we are now expanding our mission to include support for career and technical education. The goal of our Metallica Scholars Initiative is to improve career opportunities for community college students in the trades. Equally, we hope to raise the awareness of the tremendous importance, value and impact of the education provided by our nation’s community college system.”
AWMH will work closely with AACC to implement and manage the program.
In addressing why the foundation chose workforce education as part of its mission, Lars Ulrich, Metallica’s drummer and co-founder said, “All of us in the band feel fortunate that music has provided us the opportunity to be successful doing something we are passionate about. We want to share our success with others so that they can find a job where they can do the same.”
For more information about Clackamas Community College, visit www.clackamas.edu. To learn more about CCC’s programs, visit www.clackamas.edu/programs. To learn more about the Metallica Scholars program at CCC, contact Tom Brown at thomasb@clackamas.edu or 503-594-3956.