During the past academic year, GateWay Community College Precision Machining students have benefited from $25,000 in scholarship grants from the Gene Haas Foundation. These grants were made to the Precision Machining program at GateWay Community College-Central City Campus.
Recently, eight more students received these grants. To date, 17 students this academic year have received much needed tools, which will help them transition to industry, easily.
“This grant helps ease the financial burden of qualified students who are interested in machine operation and maintenance coursework,” said James Smith, lead program instructor for the GateWay program.
Graduating high school seniors, students currently in machining or machining technology programs, GED recipients and displaced workers (anyone unemployed or looking to re-career) who want to pursue an associate degree or technology certificate in machining are eligible for the scholarship grant. The funds may be used for tuition, books, and/or supplies the student is required to purchase, such as personal tooling.
To be considered, students need a GPA of 80% or better by Week 23 of the program, which is in the second block of the program at GateWay.
Each of the 17 students received a tool kit worth $1,000 to support continued efforts in employment opportunities upon graduation. These tools also help reinforce their skills using industry standard tooling as opposed to tools that are used for training purposes.
“These types of tools are very expensive,” added Smith. “Many companies require their employees to own their tools upon employment and this is a way to help ease the financial burden for the students entering the manufacturing industry. To be honest, I wish we could start all the students off with a tool kit like these.”
The first nine students to receive their awards in Fall 2018, were the first to benefit from this scholarship grant at the college.
Smith hopes these won't be the last of the students to benefit from these scholarships, so he is not stopping at this grant. “I recently applied for another Gene Haas grant and hope to hear by August,” he said.
For information on the program, visit gatewaycc.edu/precision-machining or call (602) 238-4350 for enrollment services.