Two Alabama community colleges are getting a shot in the arm for workforce development, courtesy of a legendary hard rock band.

The best part may be that the participants will be able to describe themselves as Metallica Scholars. That’s pretty metal. And it’s the simple truth, because the two institutions are part of the six-year-old Metallica Scholars Initiative.

Chattahoochee Valley Community College in Phenix City has just been added to the initiative. It’s the second Alabama school to be selected, after Northwest-Shoals Community College in Muscle Shoals.

The six-year-old program is conducted by the All Within My Hands foundation, a philanthropic nonprofit created by the members and management of Metallica in 2017. According to information released Monday, the initiative will add 15 new schools this fall, including Chattahoochee Valley, each of which will receive $75,000 “to enhance the student experience within career and technical education programs.”

The total program grant for the year is about $3 million. So far, the program has made more than $13 million in grants. Major partners include the Lowe’s Foundation. Carhartt, Wolverine and agricultural equipment maker CNH.

According to information released by the foundation, the Metallica Scholars Initiative started in 2019 with 10 colleges and will have a presence at 75 with the new additions. Northwest-Shoals was added in 2021, the program’s third year.

Metallica vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield has previously said that the band’s experience on the road provided motivation for creating the program.

“As a touring entity we are in direct involvement with multiple essential career choices along our path,” Hetfield said in 2021, when Northwest-Shoals was added. “From electrical, professional driving, culinary, mechanical maintenance, public safety, logistical organizers. And that just scratches the surface. Those, along with a multitude of other technical careers, make our touring and our performances possible. We are passionate and grateful to these trades and tradespeople.”

“I could not be any prouder of our Metallica Scholars,” said Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo more recently. “We know that our country needs millions of skilled tradespeople, and it warms my heart to know that our Foundation’s efforts are making a positive impact and putting hard-working people on the path to careers in the trades.”

“Whether it’s a school visit or a meet and greet before a show, there is no better feeling than meeting our Metallica Scholars in person and hearing their stories of grit and determination firsthand, along with their pride and commitment,” Trujillo said in a statement issued by the foundation. “It is truly inspiring. To think we started with a few schools and a couple hundred students, and we’re now in 75 schools nationwide, about to reach 10,000 students. It’s just incredible.”

According the foundation, schools are selected through a competitive process involving the American Association of Community Colleges. It said a recent independent study found that the wages earned by the program’s graduates represented a return 8.3 times bigger than the initial investment.

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According to the foundation, “This means that on average, MSI graduates can expect to earn 8.3X the upfront cost of their program during their first year in the workforce. Additionally, the research identified some of the fastest-growing and highest-paying fields of study that Metallica Scholars can pursue to achieve lucrative careers in the trades. Among the former are Information Security Analysts, Software Developers, and Occupational Therapy Assistants, while the latter includes Robotics and Mechatronics, Dental Hygienists, and Air Traffic Controllers.”

The wide range of disciplines already supported by the program includes “conventional trades such as construction, welding, commercial driving licensing, and advanced manufacturing,” according to the foundation.

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“2025 is a watershed moment for the Metallica Scholars Initiative,” said Peter Delgrosso, Executive Director, All Within My Hands. “With the addition of 15 new schools this fall and USC’s independent research articulating the strength of our results, we are eager to tackle the quantifiable shortage of skilled labor our nation faces. If we extrapolate these ROI numbers over a career, it demonstrates how effective and profitable learning a trade can be for the individual, and how society as a whole also benefits from community college graduates. This insight will profoundly affect MSI going forward, impacting how people view careers in the trades, encouraging more corporate and individual sponsorship, and driving its advancement across the country. We’re thrilled to incorporate these findings into this year’s planning and expansion.”