Women and students of color with dreams of entering the field of advanced manufacturing now have a better chance, thanks to a generous scholarship donation from the J.M. Huber Corporation. The company learned about Georgia Piedmont Technical College’s (GPTC) Industrial Maintenance pre-apprenticeship program and offered to establish a scholarship to support and encourage students to enter this high-demand career field.
Pre-apprenticeship student Lakesha Hollaman, pictured bottom left corner, was the first recipient of a $1000 scholarship and shared her appreciation during a virtual check presentation event on March 4.
“I am so thankful to be aligned in this situation to be able to help myself. I am going into an industry that is new and fascinating and modernized,” said Hollaman. “I am excited to be a black female ready to break through these barriers. I do pray that I can meet your expectations. I will make you proud.”
GPTC President Tavarez Holston thanked the Huber representatives present for an additional $3000 scholarship donation for future apprentices, saying, “This is a powerful testament of partnerships. It speaks to the value of work. And we are all about workforce development.”
Companies under the J.M. Huber umbrella create products used in a broad range of applications including personal care, food and beverage, agricultural nutrients, building materials, flame retardants and smoke suppressants, as well as sustainable forestry services.
GPTC has provided training for Huber through the Rockwell Automation Academy and has helped Huber successfully secure funding to support upskilling its workforce through the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) incumbent worker training program.
Dr. Irvin Clark, GPTC’s vice president of economic development, added, “We have a strong relationship with Huber and will be scheduling additional training for their incumbent workers later this spring.”
For more information regarding GPTC’s Industrial Maintenance pre-apprenticeship program, contact Irvin Clark at clarki@gptc.edu.