Ford Motor Company Fund donates $90,000 for education initiatives

Hoping to prevent staffing shortages in the field, Ford will provide scholarships for students to develop their engineering skills.

By Staff -- Modern Materials Handling, 8/26/2008

Seeking to give students an early introduction to  the engineering arts, Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company, donated $90,000 in grant money to the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation. More than half of this will serve as scholarship money.

Funded by a $50,000 award, former Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (Ford PAS) students who plan on pursuing a degree in technology or engineering will be able to apply for an annual $10,000 scholarship.   

Ford PAS is an academically rigorous high school curriculum, helping students develop their problem-solving, critical-thinking, innovation and communication skills through partnerships with local businesses and higher education.

“It is critical that students in the United States acquire advanced skills in math, science and technology to maintain our competitiveness on the world stage. We need to be in a position where we can recognize our students for their intellectual and academic achievement.” Mike Schmidt, Ford Motor Fund Contributions Director for Education, said.   

The remainder of the donation, $40,000, will go toward Gateway Academy, a nationwide initiative designed to introduce middle school students to science, technology, engineering and math through one-week summer camps.

The Bureau of Labor statistics predicts that employers will be seeking 17,000 industrial and manufacturing engineers, 14,000 mechanical engineers, 14,000 engineering technicians and 273,000 metal and plastic production workers every year until 2012.   

“Employment needs are growing faster than students graduating with engineering degrees,” Glen Pearson, SME Education foundation president, said.