Grainger Expands 'Tools for Tomorrow' Scholarship to Honor Veterans and Strengthen Trades Education

Grainger, North America’s leading facilities maintenance supplier, has expanded its Grainger Tools for Tomorrow scholarship program for the fifth consecutive year.

During the 2010‑2011 academic year, the company will award two $2,000 scholarships to each of 75 community colleges across the United States, totaling 150 awards. One‑third of these—50 scholarships—will be reserved for veterans, recognizing their service and the strong pipeline of veterans poised to enter installation, maintenance, repair, and production roles.

Scholarship recipients will also receive a Westward toolkit upon graduation, fully outfitted for their chosen industrial trade.

"Grainger appreciates the contributions veterans have made to our country and their potential for service in the workplace," said Jim Ryan, Chairman, President and CEO. "Industrial skilled trades are vital to keeping our infrastructure sound and our communities strong. The Grainger Tools for Tomorrow scholarship program empowers future tradespeople to complete their education and launch successful careers."

Experts warn that the next decade’s job market will be mismatched with current training pathways. A report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce highlights that new roles in construction, manufacturing, and related sectors will demand postsecondary skills and preparation that many adult workers lack.

Launched in 2006 in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the scholarship program is designed to help students in community‑college industrial trades programs realize their education and career goals. Over the past four years, Grainger has awarded scholarships to more than 200 technical‑education students at 50 AACC member colleges nationwide.

One recipient, Alejandra Contreras, earned a scholarship in 2010 and credits her military training for guiding her career in water treatment. "I am just an ordinary woman, but by setting small goals for myself I am going to change the world," she said. A student in the Water Treatment Program at Red Rocks Community College in Colorado, Contreras plans to develop international projects that deliver clean drinking water to underserved regions.

"The skilled‑trade workforce is set to grow as current workers retire," noted AACC President George R. Boggs. "Community colleges can guide veterans and others who need to re‑enter the workforce to the right training at an affordable cost."

To see the full list of participating community colleges, visit www.grainger.com.

About Grainger
W.W. Grainger Inc., with 2009 sales of $6.2 billion, is North America’s leading broadline supplier of maintenance, repair, and operating products, with a growing presence in Asia and Latin America. For more information about Grainger’s technical‑education program, visit www.grainger.com/technicaleducation.