Grants totaling $30,000 have been awarded to Canadian Valley Technology Center’s Precision Machining programs, courtesy of the Gene Haas Foundation.

Funding is intended to support students as they embark on careers in manufacturing industries.

Graduates of CV Tech’s machining programs in both Chickasha and El Reno will benefit from having industry-standard tools to do their jobs effectively, said El Reno Campus instructor Marc Belew.

He and Chickasha Campus instructor Wes Hess plan to provide students who complete the program with starter toolboxes, which will include calipers and micrometers.

Per grant guidelines, some of the money can also be used to support machining contests, such as the SkillsUSA regional competition.

The Gene Haas Foundation was established in 1999, by Gene Haas, founder and owner of Haas Automation, Inc. It is the largest machine tool builder in the U.S. and is among the largest builders of CNC machines in the world.

In nearly a quarter-century, the Haas Foundation has donated over $120 million to support various civic and charitable groups, as well as manufacturing training programs.

Gene Haas is likely better known for his association with motorsports. He is co-owner along with three-time NASCAR Cup champion Tony Stewart of Stewart-Haas Racing. Haas also owns a Formula One racing team.

Precision Machining is essentially metal design. Students learn to make useful parts with both manual and computerized lathes and milling machines. Lathes spin the material with a cutting tool that stays stationary. Mills spin the cutting blade while the material remains still. For more information, visit cvtech.edu.

Median pay (half earn more, half less) is $23 per hour, according to information supplied by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Predicted growth nationally is expected to be modest, but Belew said area interest is strong for job candidates.