An electric technology firm and a nonprofit organization have partnered up to dole out thousands of dollars in scholarships to help workers enter the skilled trades workforce.
Schneider Electric, the Paris-based provider of building electrification tools, and Atlanta-based Skilled Nation announced last month $100,000 in scholarships for technical education and training nationwide. Applications for the scholarship program are open through Nov. 10.
Now in its fourth year, the Schneider Electric Skilled Scholarship Program has received more than $300,000 in funding from the firm to help students pursue technical careers in fields such as building automation, energy management, HVAC, electrical systems and facilities engineering.
"The future of American energy infrastructure will be defined as much by the talent behind it as the technology powering it," Chris Collins, senior vice president of secure power in North America for Schneider Electric, said in the announcement. "At Schneider Electric, we see workforce development as a strategic investment in our customers' competitiveness, our nation's energy resilience and the next generation of American industry.”
Since the nonprofit started in 2021, Skilled Nation has issued more than 3,000 scholarships across the U.S., said Alvin Townley, founding executive director. Within that group, over 90% of participants have completed their training and nine in 10 are employed.
Via partnerships with other firms and trade schools, Townley says Skilled Nation has raised over $10 million in the last five years. The nonprofit receives around 1,500 applications a month, a number that is quickly approaching 2,000.
“The need is really great and we’re trying to build partnerships as fast as we can,” Townley told Construction Dive.
The average age of applicants is around 26, which is still indicative that this isn’t always the first career opportunity for workers, Townley said, but one that they’re ready to pursue as a full career.
The Schneider Electric announcement lists scholarships at $3,000, which Townley says is normal for its partnerships, with some awards reaching $5,000. Townley called attention to the size of that number, noting that three quarters of scholarship winners said in a survey they would not have been able to pursue the training and a career in the trades without the financial support.
“That [$3,000] number, which may seem small to some people, is everything to people trying to get into these skilled careers,” Townley said.
