CSCU and Senator Murphy Announce New Advanced Manufacturing Scholarship

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy joined Connecticut’s community colleges, their foundations and the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) on Oct. 17 to announce the establishment of the Precision Metalforming Association Scholarship for Tunxis (TCC), Middlesex (MxCC) and Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC) students who are studying precision manufacturing/machining.

PMA has seeded the PMA Scholarship with an initial $30,000 donation — with $10,000 each allocated to TCC, MxCC and NVCC — for the annual scholarship fund. The donation will support precision manufacturing/machining students with financial need who are in good academic standing. Children or spouses of an individual employed by a PMA member company are also eligible for the scholarship. The annual $1,500 PMA scholarship will be distributed to TCC, MxCC and NVCC students beginning in fall of 2019 and may be renewed annually.

“Advanced manufacturing employers are telling us they need skilled workers — 25,000 skilled workers over the next decade— and the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Centers at the state’s community colleges are up to the challenge. The Precision Metalforming Association Scholarship will help advance our goal as Connecticut’s manufacturing pipeline,” said Mark Ojakian, President, Connecticut State Colleges & Universities (CSCU).

The official announcement of the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Centers Precision Machining Scholarship was made at Tunxis Community College in Farmington with Senator Murphy; CSCU President Mark Ojakian; James Lombella, Ed.D., President of Asnuntuck and Tunxis Community Colleges; Daisy Cocco DeFilippis, Ph.D., President of Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury and Danbury; Sal Vitrano, Tunxis Community College Foundation President; Kimberly Hogan, Dean of Administration, Middlesex Community College; Jule Crawford, Middlesex Community College Foundation Chair; and Jason Howey, President of OKAY Industries; as well as other representatives from PMA. 

“Connecticut manufacturers are second to none. We have a resurging manufacturing industry, and our defense and aerospace sectors depend on a highly trained skilled workforce. The PMA Scholarship for students at the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Advanced Manufacturing Technology Centers will go a long way in helping to train the next generation of manufacturers in our state,” said Senator Murphy.

“We are excited about this new Precision Metalforming Association Scholarship which will help us meet critical workforce needs for skilled graduates in advanced manufacturing,” said Tunxis and Asnuntuck President James Lombella.

PMA is the full-service trade association representing the $137-billion metalforming industry of North America — the industry that creates precision metal products using stamping, fabricating, spinning, slide forming and roll forming technologies, and other value-added processes. PMA’s more than 800-member companies also include suppliers of equipment, materials and services to the industry.

“On behalf of the membership of the Southern New England District of the PMA, we are both proud and honored to be making this significant investment in the future workforce for Connecticut manufacturers,” said Howey. “PMA member companies funding of scholarships at Tunxis, Naugatuck Valley and Middlesex Community Colleges is just part of our commitment to manufacturing in the state of Connecticut.”

“Financially supporting individuals pursuing higher education in precision manufacturing/machining via scholarships, touches the core of PMA’s mission to ‘Positively shape the environment of the metalforming industry’,” said Roy Hardy, PMA President. “Investing in the next generation workers and leaders of our industry is key to our success, and by providing these scholarships locally, helps insure the future of this great industry in Southern New England.”

Asnuntuck in Enfield, Housatonic in Bridgeport, Naugatuck Valley in Waterbury, Quinebaug Valley in Danielson, Manchester Community College in Manchester, Middlesex in Middletown, Three Rivers in Norwich and Tunxis Community College in Farmington offer Advanced Manufacturing Technology programs. The Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center (AMTC) certificate program is offered on a part-time or full-time basis. Many of the programs have internships or apprenticeships available, as well as financial aid. Credits earned in a certificate can be applied to their respective CT community college associate degrees, and provide pathways to Central Connecticut State University’s School of Technology.

Learn More about the Advanced Manufacturing Centers at www.ct.edu/makeithere