The Ford Motor Company is continuing its 25-year commitment to the training and education of its future workforce. Ford has awarded two grants, to the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Education Foundation, totaling $150,000. Since 1981, they have donated $1,608,000 to the SME Education Foundation for scholarships and other engineering education programs
One grant awards $100,000 to the SME Education Foundation’s Science Technology & Engineering Preview Summer (STEPS) Program at the University of Detroit Mercy. As a one-week summer camp, STEPS allows middle school children the opportunity to experience the stimulating world of science and technology up close and personal. A total of 427 students have been introduced to the world of science and technology through the STEPS program, funded by Ford Motor Company’s past contributions. This allows young students the possibility of pursuing an engineering career at an affordable cost and lets them take the necessary courses in high school to prepare them and plan ahead for an engineering degree program in the future.
"Once again, Ford has demonstrated its leadership in supporting and advancing industry by investing in the future of the manufacturing skilled workforce,” said Glen H. Pearson, president of the SME Education Foundation. "Ford's ongoing support of the SME Education Foundation's programs gives young people positive, hands-on manufacturing experiences and exposes them to exciting careers in math, science and technology.”
The additional $50,000 grant will fund the SME Education Foundation’s Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (PAS) Scholarship. The SME Ford PAS Scholarship is awarded to graduating students of the program, a high school curriculum created by Ford to link the classroom learning to challenges students will face in a post-secondary education and workplace. Former PAS students can apply for the $10,000 scholarship who want to pursue a degree in technology or engineering, which can be used at any accredited college or university in the United States.
Mike Schmidt, director, Education and Community Development, Ford Motor Company Fund said, "Through our support of the SME Education Foundation, we are able to advance our industry and offer opportunities to deserving students.”
The SME Education Foundation has tools to inspire, support and prepare young people for careers in manufacturing. For more information about these and other SME Education Foundation programs, go to www.sme.org/foundation.
To view complete press release, go to: http://www.sme.org/cgi-bin/get-press.pl?&&20070003&PR&&SME&
SOURCE Society of Manufacturing Engineers (www.sme.org)
Nicole Camiola
New Equipment Digest
Online Content Editor