Photo: Clackamas Community College

Eight years later, Clackamas Community College is still topping the charts. The college has once again been selected for the Metallica Scholars Initiative, earning its eighth consecutive grant from Metallica's All Within My Hands Foundation and maintaining its place in the nationally recognized workforce initiative since its launch in 2019.

The latest $15,000 grant from All Within My Hands, Metallica's nonprofit foundation, will support CCC's “heavy metals” programs in automotive service and repair, industrial technology (manufacturing, machine tool technology, renewable energy, industrial maintenance, electronics engineering) and welding, reinforcing the college's commitment to preparing students for high-demand careers. Since the initiative’s inception, the college has received a total of $225,000 in support of career and technical education.

"Metallica is recognized around the world, and being backed by the band's foundation helps shine a spotlight on the workforce education happening at the college," CCC President Dr. Tim Cook said. "The recognition raises awareness of the opportunities available here and ultimately helps more students discover pathways to rewarding careers.”

All Within My Hands (AWMH), the nonprofit, philanthropic organization created by the members and management of Metallica, recently announced the eighth year of its Metallica Scholars Initiative with its largest grant to date: over $3.3 million. Eighteen new U.S. schools will join the returning 75 colleges in the fall for a total of 93 in the program. In addition, later this year, the Metallica Scholars Initiative will also expand to the United Kingdom in partnership with Capital City College Group in London.

“This thing started as a dream. Now our program is changing lives,” Metallica’s James Hetfield said. “To expand our impact on a global scale and support even more students is so rewarding. We’re so proud of all the Metallica Scholars who have come through it and all the ones who will participate in it. It’s humbling to know we’ve been part of the journey of thousands of trade professionals doing good, hard work in the world.”

AWMH continues to work closely with its long-time partner, the American Association of Community Colleges. Launched in 2019 by All Within My Hands, Metallica Scholars Initiative’s core focus is supporting conventional trades, including welders, plumbers and electricians, while also adding fields that will generate the jobs of tomorrow. The workforce initiative continues to evolve, supporting diverse fields for students interested in gaining the skills and training necessary to establish meaningful careers that provide family-sustaining wages. Year eight includes a wide range of fields, including nursing and healthcare, optical systems technology, automotive repair, maritime manufacturing, firefighting and EMT, pipefitting and agricultural pathways.

“The continued growth of the Metallica Scholars Initiative is a powerful testament to what’s possible when visionary philanthropy and community colleges come together around a shared mission,” Dr. DeRionne P. Pollard, president and CEO of American Association of Community Colleges, said. “Through this partnership, 13,000 community college students have already been supported across the country, earning the skills needed for in-demand careers with family-sustaining wages. This latest, generous investment by Metallica’s foundation will reach more learners, while strengthening the workforce pipelines that power local economies. We are proud to partner with All Within My Hands to scale this impact, ensuring even more students have access to life-changing opportunities in the skilled trades and beyond.”

The initiative’s eighth iteration also marks the renewal of AWMH’s partnerships with Carhartt, Wolverine, CNH Construction and Upstaging Inc., as well as the addition of the foundation’s newest partner, ServiceTitan. These corporate partners complement the foundation’s executive and advisory board members and the broader Metallica family, all of whom have played a role in advancing AWMH’s mission and driving its success.

“Metallica Scholars Year 8 will see our largest-scale growth yet, as we anticipate supporting close to 4,000 new students in the United States and more than 1,000 learners in the U.K. This represents an approximate 40% increase in our student body, something we are incredibly excited about,” Peter Delgrosso, executive director of AWMH, said. “Supporting people of all ages entering and ascending through trades is the right thing to do, not just domestically, but also abroad. Our Metallica Scholars have demonstrated resilience and a strong determination to succeed, which in turn motivates us to match their ambition.”

Source: Clackamas Community College

Mike Jones