CLC selected for year seven of Metallica Scholars Initiative

College of Lake County has announced its selection as one of the community colleges invited to join Year 7 of the prestigious Metallica Scholars Initiative. Supported by a generous $5,000 grant aimed at enhancing the educational experience of students pursuing hands-on, career and technical training for future employment in high-skill, high-wage fields across Lake County.

“CLC is extremely grateful to Metallica’s foundation, All Within My Hands, for once again investing in our students,” Vice President of Education Dr. Kristen Jones said. “Their ongoing partnership for the past seven years, during which CLC has received $275,000 in grant funding from the foundation, is a powerful investment in our students and our community. Through the Metallica Scholars Initiative, we’re able to expand access to hands-on training that leads to rewarding careers while building the skilled workforce that drives Lake County’s economy.”

All Within My Hands, the nonprofit, philanthropic organization created by the members and management of Metallica, recently announced its Year 7 of its Metallica Scholars Initiative with its largest grant to date, totaling approximately $3 million. MSI now has a presence in 75 colleges across all 50 United States and the territory of Guam, and is expected to reach approximately 10,000 students.

“I could not be any prouder of our Metallica Scholars,” Metallica Band Member Robert Trujillo said. “We know that our country needs millions of skilled tradespeople, and it warms my heart to know that our foundation’s efforts are making a positive impact and putting hard-working people on the path to careers in the trades. Whether it’s a school visit or a meet and greet before a show, there is no better feeling than meeting our Metallica Scholars in person and hearing their stories of grit and determination firsthand, along with their pride and commitment. It is truly inspiring. To think we started with a few schools and a couple hundred students, and we’re now in 75 schools nationwide, about to reach 10,000 students. It’s just incredible.”

Launched in 2019 by All Within My Hands in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges, MSI began with 10 colleges focused primarily on Manufacturing programs. The workforce initiative has since expanded to offer opportunities in diverse fields for students interested in gaining the skills and training necessary to establish meaningful careers that provide family-sustaining wages.

To evaluate the program’s efficacy, the University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public Policy independently researched and quantified MSI’s impact on the skilled trades and the return on investment earlier this year. The research extended into all Year 6 community colleges, covering more than 350 fields of study at these institutions, measuring the cost of completion and anticipated salaries post-graduation. The key observation is that the return on investment — the ratio of a program’s cost to anticipated median wage — across all MSI-supported programs is a very high and cost-efficient 8.3X. This means that on average, MSI graduates can expect to earn 8.3 times the upfront cost of their program during their first year in the workforce.

“2025 is a watershed moment for the Metallica Scholars Initiative,” said Peter Delgrosso, executive director, All Within My Hands. “With the addition of 15 new schools this fall and USC’s independent research articulating the strength of our results, we are eager to tackle the quantifiable shortage of skilled labor our nation faces. If we extrapolate these ROI numbers over a career, it demonstrates how effective and profitable learning a trade can be for the individual, and how society as a whole also benefits from community college graduates. This insight will profoundly affect MSI going forward, impacting how people view careers in the trades, encouraging more corporate and individual sponsorship, and driving its advancement across the country. We\'re thrilled to incorporate these findings into this year’s planning and expansion.”

Year 7 also marks the renewal of AWMH’s partnership with the Lowe’s Foundation, which has provided $1 million in support as part of its five-year, $50 million commitment to prepare 50,000 people for skilled trades careers.

It takes a village to achieve these results, including the continued support from many longtime corporate partners of AWMH, notably workwear manufacturers Carhartt, Wolverine, and CNH, a global leader in agricultural and construction equipment. The aforementioned along with the extended Metallica Family of fans have staunchly supported AWMH from day one and worked tirelessly to advance its mission.

For a complete list of all 75 colleges currently supported by AWMH, visit allwithinmyhands.org/metallica-scholars.

For more information about the College of Lake County, visit clcillinois.edu, or call (847) 543-2000.

To learn more about All Within My Hands, visit AllWithinMyHands.org and follow them on Instagram, X, Facebook and LinkedIn.

To learn more about the American Association of Community Colleges, visit aacc.nche.edu.