Stanly Community College has received a $15,000 grant from the Gene Haas Foundation to help support Computer-Integrated Machining student scholarships and National Institute for Metalworking Skilling (NIMS) credentialing.

NIMS sets industry skills standards, certifies individual skills against the standards, accredits training programs that meet NIMS quality requirements and promotes innovative solutions to connect credentialed and work-ready individuals with employers.

Additionally, up to $2,500 of these funds are eligible for sponsorships of SCC manufacturing and engineering project teams that compete at SkillsUSA.

SkillsUSA is a national organization that partners with students, teachers, and industry to ensure America has a skilled workforce.

“We are extremely thankful to the Gene Hass Foundation and their continued commitment to this school and our students” said, Jeff Parsons, associate vice president of the School of Advanced Manufacturing & Industrial Technologies.

“SCC is always focused on reducing barriers for our students,” he added. “Unfortunately, many people struggle with paying for college and this scholarship goes a long way toward removing that barrier and enabling them to pursue a career in Computer-Integrated Machining and manufacturing.”

The Gene Haas Foundation is dedicated to focusing on United States manufacturing and reducing the skills gap of a projected two million unfilled jobs.

The Foundation is part of Haas Automation, Inc., a builder of CNC machine tools.

SCC’s Computer-Integrated Machining currently uses Haas mills and lathes. SCC’s Computer-Integrated Machining curriculum prepares students with the analytical, creative and innovative skills to take a production idea from an initial concept through design, development, and production, resulting in a finished product.

Graduates should qualify for employment as machining technicians in high-tech manufacturing, rapid prototyping and rapid-manufacturing industries, specialty machine shops, fabrication industries, and high-tech or emerging industries such as aerospace, aviation, medical, and renewable energy, and to sit for machining certification examinations.

For more information on SCC’s Computer-Integrated Machining program, contact Ryan Love at (704) 991-0266 or rlove9440@stanly.edu.