Alcoa Foundation Pledges Support to Manufacturing Education Program

The Alcoa Foundation has pledged $220,000 to support a program called “Partnership Response in Manufacturing Education” (PRIME), a community-based approach to manufacturing education.

PRIME is part of a commitment of the SME Education Foundation  to address the shortage of advanced manufacturing and technical talent in the United States, according to information from the Alcoa Foundation. The funding provided by the Alcoa Foundation will continue to support the PRIME programs at Esperanza High School in Anaheim, Calif. and Hawthorne High School in Los Angeles. Additionally, the Alcoa Foundation will identify two more schools in Southern California with exemplary manufacturing education programs to support through the 2016 school year.

“The work of the SME Education Foundation would not be possible without the generous support of great manufacturing companies like Alcoa and its foundation,” says Rodney Grover, senior development officer for the SME Education Foundation. “They are committed to changing the lives of future innovators and are proving their commitment through the support of the SME Education Foundation’s PRIME initiative.”

Scott Hudson, principal manager of global initiatives and program development for the Alcoa Foundation, adds, “We cultivate academic and nonprofit partnerships that streamline education to employment with applied opportunities for students to pursue manufacturing careers. Alcoa Foundation and the SME Education Foundation partnership takes these opportunities into high schools where students have access to industry experts and professionals, guided tours of manufacturing plants, mentorships, job shadowing and internships.”