HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) – Metal Supermarkets is one of the world’s largest suppliers of small-quantity metals. They are currently offering $10,000 in scholarships for trade school students.
2025 marks the fourth year of the annual trade school scholarship. Four trade school students in the United States and Canada will each be awarded a $2,500 scholarship. The scholarship program is designed to address the need for more skilled trade workers.
Research from the American Welding Society indicates that 320,500 new welding professionals are projected to be needed by 2029, so the scholarship is a way to bring more awareness to young students about the trade industry and help them get through a trade program so they can become professionals in a trade field.
The owner of Metal Supermarkets Huntsville, Hiren Patel, joined 48 Now to share more on the importance of this scholarship opportunity.
Patel said over the past four years, he has seen the scholarship program grow, and the number of students who have applied has increased, and he is hoping more students will continue to apply.
“If you are in a trade school or considering a trade career, I would encourage any young professional to go out and apply for it,” Patel said.
Although welding professionals are needed the most, Patel said the scholarship is for students involved in any trade.
Patel said it is important for students to be aware of the importance of trade professionals and the benefits of being in a trade has for them.
“It is very important. Metal Supermarkets’ own commissioned study showed that about 62% of young people are not aware of this career and how it can benefit them,” Patel said.
“We want to bring awareness, encouraging them to participate in trade school and get an education from there, whether welding or any other trade profession they prefer to be.”
Patel would encourage anyone interested in any trade skill to apply.
“If you are considering trade school or a trade career, because in our daily life, we all do some sort of work like this by ourselves like a DIY project or anything like that, so if you have a skill and if you have interest in that, it can be a very good benefit,” Patel said.
To qualify for the scholarship, students must be accepted to and currently attending a post-secondary trade school program with a semester beginning in 2025 and must be enrolled in the upcoming semester.
The scholarship is open to citizens, permanent residents, and green card holders legally residing in the United States or Canada with a High School Diploma, GED, or equivalent.
Scholarship applications can be submitted online at the Metal Supermarkets website. Applications are open now until June 27th. Metal Supermarkets will contact each scholarship winner by email and phone by July 31st.
To hear more about the Metal Supermarkets scholarship and the importance of trade careers, the full 48 Now interview can be viewed at the top of this page.
Click Here to Subscribe on YouTube: Watch the latest WAFF 48 news, sports & weather videos on our YouTube channel!
Copyright 2025 WAFF. All rights reserved.
