Tidioute Community Charter School is among the first recipients of a grant that will enhance its trades programs.

The school received Stanley Black & Decker’s Empower Makers grant through the company’s Global Impact Challenge. TCCS submitted an application in October.

The “240 entrants were evaluated based on number of people served, outcomes projected, sustainable impact, depth of programs, and diversity, among many other considerations,” according to a TCCS release. “TCCS was selected as one of 86 organizations that will help skill and reskill roughly 180,000 makers throughout 2022.”

“We are incredibly happy to be receiving this grant,” Tech Ed/Trades Instructor Dave Manning said. “It will allow us to upgrade the tools that we utilize in our shop as our technical and trades programming grows.”

“The tool upgrades will benefit the growing trades programs at the school in both the wood and welding programming,” Manning said. “We have been able to add and upgrade many of the tools used in the courses that we offer. These tools will make the end project much easier to produce and finish.”

“Every aspect of the building process, wood, and metal will be upgraded,” he said. “A substantial portion of the upgrade will come as finish tools — grinders, sanders, spray applications — but cutting and fastening tools are also on the way.”

“This is another step we can take to producing career ready students to enter the trades after graduation,” Manning said. “Just this year, we have been able to partner with NC3 and Lincoln Welding to offer our students a high-quality welding program with certifications available in the four processes upon completion. These tools will help to improve that course, and all our other offerings.”

“Stanley Black & Decker is immensely proud to support TCCS students as they work to skill and reskill the next generation of trade professionals,” Stanley Black & Decker Vice President of Social Impact Diane Cantello said. “Currently in the U.S., there are an estimated 650,000 open construction jobs and 10 million unfilled manufacturing jobs globally. Our purpose is to support ‘Those Who Make the World,’ and being able to fund educational programs and non-profits that are revitalizing trade careers directly connects to our core mission. Thanks to this year’s Makers Grant Recipients, together we will be one step closer to closing the trade skills gap.”

The grant program will award up to $25 million over five years, according to the release.