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NIC receives $100,000 grant from Metallica

| December 13, 2018 12:00 AM

North Idaho College will be able to better support students preparing to enter the workforce thanks to a $100,000 Metallica Scholars Initiative grant funded by Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation.

This major workforce education initiative provides direct scholarship support to community colleges to enhance their career and technical education programs. These programs provide skills and services to students who are looking to enter a traditional trade or emerging profession. NIC is one of 10 community colleges from across the country chosen through a competitive proposal process to receive $100,000 to support students training to enter the American workforce. These students will become the first cohort of Metallica Scholars.

“All of us in the band feel fortunate that music has provided us the opportunity to be successful doing something we are passionate about. We want to share our success with others so that they can find a job where they can do the same,” said Lars Ulrich, Metallica’s drummer and co-founder, in a news release.

Partnering with the American Association of Community Colleges, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that represents the nation’s 1,103 community colleges, the Metallica Scholars awards are designed to provide support of relevant job skill training for community college students, reinvest in communities that supported Metallica during its recent United States tours.

“As NIC is the largest provider of career and technical education in North Idaho, we’re excited to leverage this generous grant to supply our community with a qualified workforce and help students along their career paths,” said NIC President Rick MacLennan.

Edward Frank, executive director of Metallic’s All Within My Hands Foundation, said the band and foundation are proud to announce this new initiative.

“While the foundation continues our support for the fight against hunger and emergency community aid, we are now expanding our mission to include support for career and technical education,” Frank said. “The goal of our Metallica Scholars Initiative is to improve career opportunities for community college students in the trades. Equally, we hope to raise the awareness of the tremendous importance, value and impact of the education provided by our nation’s community college system.”

AWMH will work closely with AACC to implement and manage the program.

“Colleges across the country provide pathways to well-paying jobs through programs, services and training that lead to in-demand skills, certificates and degrees for students. These programs are responsive to the needs of local businesses and provide a pipeline of qualified workers to local industry. It’s a win-win for our students and the local economy,” said Walter G. Bumphus, AACC’s president and CEO. “For Metallica to see the benefit of these programs and invest in the communities that have supported them is a testament to the power of education and we are proud to do this work with them.”

In keeping with AWMH’s philosophy of enabling Metallica to give back to communities that have supported the band, the 10 recipient colleges are all American Association of Community Colleges members and based in and around stops on Metallica’s 2017-2019 WorldWired Tour. The band performed at Spokane Arena to record-setting crowds the first weekend of December.