AEM Awards Workforce Grants

Five non-profit organizations developing the future of the manufacturing and trades workforces were awarded $10,000 each at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ (AEM) 2019 Annual Conference as part of its Next Gen Grant Program.  The winning organizations focused on training for and encouraging careers in construction, manufacturing, technician service, and business and financial skills development.

“We knew there were a lot of organizations encouraging and preparing youth for careers in manufacturing and the trades,” said AEM Workforce Development Director Julie Davis. “All the same, we were still surprised by the degree of diversity and innovation in these programs, and how they are tackling genuinely challenging workforce development issues in their communities.”

This grant, in part to celebrate AEM’s 125th Anniversary, was available to qualifying organizations. In order to have been considered for the AEM Next Gen Grant, organizations must have been a registered 501(c)(3)organization engaged in outreach toward a K-12 audience, engaged with an educational organization (e.g. school district, tech school, college, etc.) and nominated by someone from an AEM member company.

The winners for 2019 were:

– The Construction Forum of St. Louis, Mo.

– The Equipment & Engine Training Council of York, S.C.

– Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

– The National Association of Ag Educators, Lexington, Ky.

– The Transition to Career Program, Harper, Kan.

For a video with additional information about the winners, click here.