First Business has created a $75,000 scholarship fund for students preparing to fill jobs in the manufacturing sector through GPS Education Partners (formerly Second Chance Partners for Education).
The Butler-based nonprofit organization, centered on training students in manufacturing to ensure a qualified workforce, will use the funding to bring new students into its 21-month immersion program.
Scholarship dollars will also benefit students wanting to pursue GPS Education Partners’ recently established Advanced Manufacturing Certification Pathway, a model of learning that includes communications, math, applied sciences, social sciences and technical coursework. Within the pathway program, students can obtain transcripted credits as well as stack transferable credentials.
“At First Business, we are committed to the manufacturing community to help (the manufacturing) sector grow and be prosperous,” said Dave Vetta, president of First Business Bank – Milwaukee. “We are proud to be a founding member of the Waukesha County Manufacturing Alliance and the Manufacturing First Expo & Conference among others. When manufacturing thrives, we all thrive.”
GPS Education Partners currently consists of 13 education centers located in nine Wisconsin counties. Its education partners include 36 high schools and more than 80 businesses.
Tax-deductible donations can be made to the new scholarship fund at www.GPSed.org.
