PMPA Education Foundation Presents First Grants

The PMPA Education Foundation recently awarded its first educational grants to benefit training programs in Ohio and Illinois. According to foundation president, Michael B. Duffin, the grants have been used to help educate the metalworking technicians of tomorrow.

Eighteen students from 12 different companies received grants to cover parts of their tuition for two Acme tool setting classes held at the Lorain County Joint Vocational School in Oberlin, Ohio. A total of $7,650 was granted for the classes. The hands-on courses were taught by Walter Bandlow, a now retired tooling setup specialist from National Acme.

After their employees successfully completed the 1-week classes, participating companies were encouraged to apply to the foundation for the grants. Each grant covered half the cost of tuition.

"This is the perfect program for the foundation to support," says David Knuepfer, chairman of the PMPA Education Foundation. "The school has a proven track record, the class is important to many PMPA members, and we don'’t have to re-invent the wheel. The foundation is looking to support similar programs throughout the United States and Canada.’"

Also receiving a PMPA grant was East Leyden High School of Franklin Park, Illinois. The $3,710 award was part of several grants given to the school for the purchase of new metalworking equipment. More than 100 students have already benefited from the equipment that is being used in beginning and advanced CNC machining classes at the high school.

The PMPA Education Foundation plans to distribute more grants related to metalworking training. For more information on the grant program, the application process or to learn more about the Acme tool setting class tentatively scheduled for June 2005, please visit the PMPA Education Foundation Web site at www.pmpa-foundation.org.