Kirkland Reporter: LWTech's Gross and Hogue Receive L2L Scholarships

Leading2Lean has awarded scholarships to two Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWTech) students who are pursuing a career in manufacturing technology.

McKenzie Gross of Granite Falls and Christian Hogue of Lynnwood were each awarded $1,250 to put toward the cost of their education. Both students are pursuing a degree in welding technology and are first-generation college students.

“We are living through an incredible skills gap in the manufacturing trade industry right now,” Leading2Lean CEO and president Keith Barr said in a press release. “The majority of students aren’t aware of this gap and the resulting high-paying and in-demand jobs that are available because of it. McKenzie and Christian understand the value in earning an education for such a skill, and we are truly honored to help them in their journey.”

According to the release, Leading2Lean, a lean manufacturing software company, launched its Manufacturing Scholarship Fund in 2018 in an effort to support students who are pursuing an education within the manufacturing field. The company has pledged to promote worker engagement in the industry. Currently, manufacturing has a critical shortage of skilled workers, the release states.

According to the Manufacturing Institute, an estimated 3.5 million manufacturing jobs will need to be filled over the next 10 years and two million of those jobs will go unfilled. LWTech’s School of Manufacturing is assisting in filling this gap by offering students manufacturing degrees in welding, machining, electronics and photonics technology.

“Industry support, like that of Leading2Lean, helps to remove barriers to education for LWTech students,” LWTech President Amy Morrison said in the release. “Scholarships are an integral part of our students’ pathway to completing their program and successfully entering the workforce.”

To learn more about the Leading2Lean Manufacturing Scholarship Fund, visit www.leading2lean.com/scholarships.

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