3M recently joined educators and community partners in Greenville, South Carolina; Knoxville, Iowa; and Monroe, North Carolina, to celebrate new investments in skilled trades education.
These milestones capped a strong year for 3M’s Manufacturing & Academic Partnerships (MAP) program, which equips public schools with advanced mechatronics equipment, student scholarships and faculty training, to help students explore skilled trades and manufacturing careers. Additionally, 3M introduced the design and remodeling of career and technical education learning environments in several of its hometown communities, transforming them into Future Makers Lab by 3M state-of-the-art spaces.
Since 2017, MAP has supported over 5,000 students in developing skills for the future of manufacturing. As a hyper‑local initiative, it focuses on students in communities where 3M manufacturing sites operate.
3M celebrated its skilled‑trades investments across local communities in 2025, supporting hundreds of students pursuing skilled‑trade career pathways between the current school year and the next.
Michael Stroik, 3M’s vice president of community impact, said the company is excited to play a role in developing the next generation of skilled workers.
“3M is helping develop the next generation of problem solvers,” Stroik said. “Students with career and technical education training possess highly sought-after skills that will be vital to the future workforce. 3M is committed to supporting CTE programs and furthering the economic impact in our hometown communities.”
In 2026, 3M plans to deepen community partnerships, expand hands‑on learning opportunities, and further strengthen pathways that help students prepare for high‑demand manufacturing careers.
The 3M MAP program includes community partnerships with GPS Ed, FESTO, and NC3.
Heart of America, a non-profit organization that transforms learning spaces, works with 3M to design and remodel skilled trades spaces into Future Makers Labs by 3M.
“Career readiness is essential to a student’s education, and the right learning environment makes it possible," said Jill Hardy Heath, President and CEO of Heart of America. “Through our work with 3M, we’re designing and building mechatronics labs that give students hands-on access to engineering, robotics, and technical skill development. When industry leaders invest alongside schools, it expands opportunity and helps students envision strong, sustainable futures.”
In addition to growing investments in 3M MAP and the Future Makers Lab by 3M learning spaces, volunteers from local 3M sites helped put the finishing touches on renovated learning environments in hometown schools. Their contributions demonstrate 3M’s global commitment to volunteerism and to supporting the future of skilled trades.
Locally centered workforce development models play a critical role in strengthening talent pipelines. Findings from a Harris Poll conducted June 20–22, 2025 (Gen Pop 18+) show that sponsoring hands-on skilled trades programs in schools and providing scholarships or training funds for trade education rank among the most impactful ways companies can support skilled tradespeople in their communities.
However, the same survey found that 90% of respondents believe most people are unaware of how well‑paying skilled trades careers can be, and 86% agree that these careers are often overlooked in schools today.
These insights signal that more work is needed to elevate the perception of modern manufacturing and ensure that advanced, high‑quality career paths are accessible to all students.
3M’s work will continue these learning opportunities in Little Rock, Arkansas; Brownwood, Texas; and Nevada, Missouri, with additional U.S. locations to follow, as well as a planned expansion internationally.
