Charleston, WV, March 17, 2021 – Explore the New Manufacturing announced today the receipt of an $8,000 grant from Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia to support programming initiatives that will directly benefit students in the Metro Valley region, including Putnam, Cabell, Jackson, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Mason counties. The gift will support interactive educational activities that create student awareness and excitement about careers in manufacturing and the subsequent educational pathways toward those opportunities.
“Toyota West Virginia is thrilled to continue supporting the Explore the Manufacturing Program through our Social Innovation program. Supporting education efforts is vital to the future success of West Virginia’s students, and we greatly appreciate the work of this program and enjoy seeing this program continue to expand in such a short time.” – Srini Matam, Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia President
A portion of the funding will be used for the Manufacturing Day Virtual Lab Series. The initiative is designed to provide an exciting virtual curriculum for middle school students; the labs have been constructed to accommodate hybrid educational models and in-class instruction. Each lab provides a virtual visit with one manufacturer. Students will be introduced to various workers and learn about their jobs and insight into their career paths. Each video will be accompanied by a student worksheet and a hands-on lab activity.
The remaining funding will support the Manufacturing Innovation Challenge, which will introduce problem-solving learning projects for high school students. Each project partners a student team with a local manufacturer who presents a real-world challenge the group must work together to solve. This concept will enable students to understand manufacturing on a personal level.
“The Explore Program is grateful for Toyota’s generous support,” said Program Director Monica Cross, who oversees the Explore the New Manufacturing Program on behalf of the West Virginia Manufacturers Association Educational Fund, Inc. (WVMAEF) efforts to create student awareness and excitement about careers in manufacturing and the training opportunities for these positions in their local areas. “These funds will allow us to advance initiatives and expand outreach to middle and high schools across the Metro Valley region.”
