33 Tri-C students earn ‘Tools of the Trade’ scholarships

July 31, 2017

Cuyahoga Community College has numerous programs in the construction trades, including carpentry, masonry, metalworking and others. For a student looking to enter trades such as these, apprenticeships are an essential complement to classroom education.

The combination of classroom and on-the-job training prepares students for a career in high demand – the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services projects a 6 percent job growth rate in construction trades through 2024.

But apprentices often have to furnish their own tools and work clothes – an expense that can create financial strain for some students.

That is why the Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation and its affiliates introduced the “Tools of the Trade” scholarship program. Through the program, 200 construction and manufacturing apprentices from Ohio two-year colleges were awarded $1,000 scholarships to help cover training expenses.

The students spanned seven Ohio colleges, including 33 from Tri-C.

The program was introduced in Ohio this spring, but has been available in other Midwest states for several years. GLHEC aims to replicate the success of the program in Wisconsin, where 94 percent of scholarship recipients either completed their apprenticeships or continued their training.