top of page
Unlocking Growth
for Students, Companies, and Communities
The Latest News
Anchor 1
STERIS IMS partners with The SkillPointe Foundation
to Fund Birmingham-Area Scholarships for Manufacturing Careers
New $50,000 fund provides training scholarships to help aspiring workers in the Birmingham area realize their potential and pursue careers in manufacturing.
BIRMINGHAM, September 22, 2023 – To develop America’s skilled workforce and provide new opportunities for aspiring individuals of all backgrounds, STERIS Instrument Management Services and The SkillPointe Foundation have established a new scholarship program that will fund training for careers in the high-demand advanced manufacturing industry that helps drive Alabama’s economy.
The STERIS IMS Manufacturing Careers SkillPointe Scholarship supports vocational training that enables students in the Birmingham area to launch exciting and profitable careers in advanced manufacturing while providing the broader industry with needed talent. The new Alabama-focused scholarship complements similar STERIS programs being launched in the Cleveland, Ohio, and Dallas, Texas, markets.
A total of twenty $2,500 grants will be awarded by the Atlanta-based SkillPointe Foundation during Fall 2023. Scholarships are available to individuals of all backgrounds in the Birmingham area who are pursuing training as machinists or for related jobs in manufacturing.
Brian Jones, Vice President at STERIS in Birmingham, noted “STERIS is proud to generate excitement and open more pathways to our industry while also providing assistance to those who may not have access to secondary education without scholarship aid. We are committed to supporting local students and communities while we continue to create cutting-edge products in our state-of-the-art Alabama facilities for our healthcare clients around the world.”
“Through its Birmingham-area manufacturing operations, STERIS is driving the entire healthcare industry in terms of innovation and production,” said Alvin Townley, founding executive director of The SkillPointe Foundation. “We’re thrilled to partner with STERIS to help a global firm build the talented workforce it needs to remain an industry leader while also helping STERIS lift up local communities and launch young people on exciting career journeys.”
The Application deadline for the new Birmingham-area scholarship program is October 31, 2023. Interested applicants can learn more and apply at SkillPointeFoundation.org.
National ECMC Foundation Makes $100,000 Grant to SkillPointe Foundation
LOS ANGELES, August 8, 2023 - A national leader in education, ECMC Foundation works to improve higher education for career success among underserved populations through evidence-based innovation. It is one of several affiliates under the ECMC Group enterprise based in Minneapolis, which together work to help students succeed.
In August, the ECMC Foundation made a $100,000 contribution to The SkillPointe Foundation to help build critical infrastructure so the foundation could continue its rapid growth, help ensure students complete their skills education, and meet more of the evidenced demand for its skills training scholarships, which fund training for high-demand skilled careers that don't require a four-year degree.
“The generous gift from ECMC Foundation validates the documented positive impact our scholarships have had and enables us to scale and help more students. In just 2 1/2 years, we received 9,000 applications! With ECMC Foundation's support and new technology we will able to serve more applicants and brighten more futures."
Schneider Electric Partners with SkillPointe Foundation to Fund Scholarships for Skills-Based Careers
BOSTON, August 16, 2022 - Schneider Electric, the global leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, has partnered with SkillPointe Foundation to develop America’s skilled workforce and provide new opportunities for aspiring individuals of all backgrounds in the building automation, security, IT, electrical, HVAC, construction maintenance or building-related fields. By establishing a new scholarship program that will fund skills training in New York and New Jersey, Schneider Electric and SkillPointe Foundation aim to inspire individuals to reach their full potential across the industry. The Schneider Electric SkillPointe Scholarship supports vocational training that empowers participants to build better lives while providing the broader industry with needed talent.
“This partnership marks a pivotal moment in our continued efforts to develop an inclusive and skilled trade workforce while giving back to our industry,” reflects James Mylett, Senior Vice President, U.S. Digital Buildings at Schneider Electric. “We’re incredibly proud of our role in providing the mentorship and networking opportunities needed to help aspiring workers realize their full career potential, whether they end up on our team at Schneider Electric or with another exciting career opportunity.”
A total of ten $2,500 grants will be awarded by the Atlanta-based SkillPointe Foundation during Fall 2022, with another ten awarded in early 2023. Scholarships are available to individuals of all backgrounds in the New York Metropolitan and New Jersey areas who are pursuing vocational training for building automation, security, IT, electrical, HVAC, construction maintenance or building-related jobs such as cable/fiber technicians, electronics and electrical technicians, field service technicians, HVAC technicians, IT support specialists, construction maintenance and software developers.
“Schneider Electric is helping to transform the places Americans live and work, but continued success depends on skilled talent pipelines,” said Alvin Townley, founding executive director of the SkillPointe Foundation. “We’re honored to launch this new partnership and help a global leader like Schneider Electric innovate and build a larger and more inclusive skilled workforce. Together, we’re also helping workers in New York and New Jersey obtain new skills and realize better futures.”
The program is being piloted in the New York and New Jersey area, and any selected scholarship recipients will be invited to the local Schneider Electric branch in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, led by Bobbi Jo Provost, for networking and mentorship sessions. Applications for Round 1 consideration are due September 30, 2022.
You can learn more and apply at SkillPointeFoundation.org or start your application https://www.myscholarship.app/the-schneider-electric-skillpointe-scholarship.
About Schneider Electric
Schneider’s purpose is to empower all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. We call this Life Is On.
Our mission is to be your digital partner for Sustainability and Efficiency. We drive digital transformation by integrating world-leading process and energy technologies, end-point to cloud connecting products, controls, software and services, across the entire lifecycle, enabling integrated company management, for homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and industries.
We are the most local of global companies. We are advocates of open standards and partnership ecosystems that are passionate about our shared Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values.
First round of awards announced for highly-competitive skills training scholarship funded by
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Donohue Family Foundation and managed by the SkillPointe Foundation
WASHINGTON, DC June 16, 2022 – In February 2022, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the Donohue Family Foundation announced a new nationwide scholarship fund for individuals of all backgrounds pursuing skilled careers not requiring a four-year degree.
More than 800 aspiring workers applied, seeking scholarships for well-paying, high-demand skilled careers in industries including Communications, Construction, Energy, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Public Service, Technology, and Transportation.
Now, the first of fifty $2,000 Donohue Family SkillPointe Scholarships, which honor longtime U.S. Chamber CEO Tom Donohue and his commitment to workforce development, are being awarded to twelve individuals.
The new recipients represent a wide range of ages (18 – 54) and ethnicities, and hail from 12 states. They are pursuing such careers as nursing, aviation maintenance, filmmaking, solar energy, physical therapy, IT systems, HVAC, and others.
The recipients include Peter G., a future solar technician from Houston, Texas. His new scholarship will help him increase his household income and realize a better future for his family and his fellow citizens.
“I want to help push the forefront of clean energy and advance the solar energy industry,” Peter shared. “Getting into solar energy and other energy sources that are cleaner is the right thing to do. Saving the planet and earning money at the same time sounds like a double win! Solar energy still feels like an afterthought, and I want to be at forefront of sharing it with the American public so we can all grow as a group and continue to build upwards towards a better society with clean energy resources.”
“A skilled workforce will ensure that our nation continues to innovate and remain globally competitive,” said Suzanne P. Clark, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “We’re so pleased to partner with the Donohue Family Foundation and the SkillPointe Foundation on this scholarship fund. Tom Donohue remains passionate about strengthening our workforce, and the selected winners are a talented group of individuals that will excel in their careers in high-demand industries.”
“We are thrilled that our very first group of Donohue Family SkillPointe Scholars looks like America in so many ways,” said Alvin Townley, Founding Executive Director of the Atlanta-based SkillPointe Foundation, which manages the scholarship program. “And the tremendous response and high number of applications reminds us of the continuing need to help aspiring workers afford the training they need to acquire skills that will give them greater income mobility. These skills are, in turn, exactly what American industry needs to bridge the skills gap and remain competitive.”
“Scholarships shouldn’t just be for four-year degrees,” Townley added. “The SkillPointe Foundation and its partners are changing that misconception.”
The SkillPointe Foundation began awarding scholarships for vocational skills training in 2021 and has raised more than $1 million from individuals, foundations, and organizations including The Home Depot, NetJets, and U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
To learn more or apply for the next round of scholarship awards, please visit www.SkillPointeFoundation.org.
Contacts
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Joseph Davis
Senior Manager, Communications
jdavis@uschamber.com
SkillPointe Foundation
Alvin Townley
Executive Director
ATownley@SkillPointeFoundation.org
About the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is dedicated to strengthening America’s long-term competitiveness. We educate the public on the conditions necessary for business and communities to thrive, how business positively impacts communities, and emerging issues and creative solutions that will shape the future.
About the Donohue Family Foundation
The Donohue Family Foundation was established by Thomas and Elizabeth Donohue to support non-profit institutions making a tangible and positive difference in peoples’ lives. For over two decades, the Foundation has made impactful contributions to advance cancer research, support children’s healthcare, feed and empower the homeless, help those battling substance abuse, and provide greater access to quality education, training, and opportunity.
About the SkillPointe Foundation
The SkillPointe Foundation partners with organizations like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, The Home Depot Foundation, and NetJets to provide financial aid to individuals of all backgrounds seeking skills training for high-demand careers not requiring a four-year degree. Specifically, the SkillPointe Foundation works with donors to manage strategic scholarship programs that increase opportunities for aspiring workers and build the talent pool needed by American industry. In its first twelve months of operation, the Foundation has awarded 100 scholarships nationwide. It is an independent affiliate of SkillPointe.com.
bottom of page