Stanley Black & Decker Celebrates Second Annual Maker Month

Maker Month activities aim to raise awareness of the skills gap and inspire the next generation of makers to build careers in engineering and manufacturing

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Stanley Black & Decker

Oct 01, 2019, 10:11 ET

NEW BRITAIN, Conn., Oct. 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE: SWK) kicked off its second annual Maker Month, a celebration of the makers and creators shaping the world around us. Throughout the month of October, the company encourages students, parents, educators and makers of all ages to participate in activities and challenges that spark curiosity and build excitement for the power of making.

Today there are 10 million manufacturing jobs around the world that remain unfilled due to the skills gap. As a global manufacturing leader, Stanley Black & Decker is committed to ensuring its workers, as well as those in surrounding communities, can gain the right skills and secure sustainable careers.

"We're excited to once again celebrate Maker Month and inspire our employees and the next generation of innovators," said Stanley Black & Decker President and CEO Jim Loree. "Maker Month demonstrates our commitment to empower makers, a critical component of our corporate social responsibility strategy and a testament to the purpose of our company to be for those who make the world."

The second annual Maker Month builds momentum from last year's inaugural celebration, when the company engaged more than 17,000 students and 3,000 schools from more than 40 countries through STEAM projects. For 2019, Stanley Black & Decker seeks to inspire 45,000 creators and makers through Maker Month initiatives as part of its goal to empower 10 million people by 2030.

Challenges, Scholarships and Projects

As part of its partnership with Discovery Education, the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content, and professional learning for K-12 classrooms, Stanley Black & Decker invites aspiring makers in the U.S. to participate in the Making for Good Challenge. During the challenge, teams of two-four students can submit their best ideas for product designs that achieve a social good. The top team will receive $15,000 and a virtual mentorship from Stanley Black & Decker. For rules and regulations, visit Innovation-Gen.com.

Additionally, the DEWALT Trades Scholarship program will award five students with a $10,000 scholarship to pursue secondary or post-secondary education at a trade school, vocational school or career center in the U.S. Starting October 21 students can submit an application and a video sharing why they entered the trade of their choice.

There will also be several opportunities for aspiring makers to learn more about careers in manufacturing:

October 4: Stanley Black & Decker will participate in National Manufacturing Day at their various locations across the globe, introducing students and educators to modern manufacturing through tours, panel discussions and facility activities.

October 10: Students, teachers and parents can tune in for Discovery Education's virtual Day of Learning for a full day of online content, including career profiles and career connection resources by following @DiscoveryEd on Twitter.

October 23: Stanley Black & Decker will sponsor Global Maker Day, an all-day live, online event featuring guest makers discussing projects, learning spaces, coding, 3D design and other topics. To learn more and register for the event, visit: https://www.globalmakerday.com/.

Throughout the month, Stanley Black & Decker employees around the world will partner with local schools and organizations to lend their time and skills to lead Maker Month activities.

Maker Month is just one example of Stanley Black & Decker's global initiatives to empower makers, which include Makerspace collaboration initiatives with universities and other organizations, global apprenticeship programs, sponsorship of WorldSkills International, the Manufactory 4.0 initiative and the STANLEY+Techstars Additive Manufacturing Accelerator program.

Stanley Black & Decker's overarching Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy focuses the company's efforts on three key pillars: empowering makers, innovating with purpose and creating a more sustainable world.

For additional resources on maker activities and STEAM curriculum, click here.

About Stanley Black & Decker:
Stanley Black & Decker is a purpose-driven, $14 billion revenue industrial organization. Stanley Black & Decker has 61,000 employees in more than 60 countries and operates the world's largest tools and storage business, the world's second-largest commercial electronic security services company, a leading engineered fastening business as well as Oil & Gas and Infrastructure businesses. The company's iconic brands include Black & Decker, Bostitch, CRAFTSMAN, DEWALT, FACOM, Irwin, Lenox, Porter Cable and Stanley. Stanley Black & Decker is a company for the makers and innovators, the craftsmen and the caregivers, and those doing the hard work to make the world a better place. Learn more at www.stanleyblackanddecker.com.

SOURCE Stanley Black & Decker