Rob Luce, SME Education Foundation vice president: “SME PRIME schools are central to our commitment of inspiring, preparing and supporting young people,”
The scholarships, administered by the SME Education Foundation for IQAir North America, make $130,000 available over five years to qualified and deserving students.
89% of SME PRIME schools students enter the manufacturing workforce, apprenticeships or pursue continued education.
Financial support has been awarded to seven schools exemplifying achievement in preparing young people for careers and continued education in advanced manufacturing through the SME PRIME initiative.
The SME Education Foundation will receive $6 million from the state of Michigan as part of the approved School Aid Fund Budget (PA 48 of 2021) crafted with bipartisan support from the Michigan Legislature. The award will double the number of schools participating in the unique manufacturer/educator partnership-driven SME PRIME initiative, which offers education and career-readiness opportunities to high school students.
The SME Education Foundation awarded a record number of scholarships to women and/or minorities: Scholarship awards to female students nearly doubled, and scholarships to minority students and minority female students nearly tripled and quadrupled.