CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Dec. 16, 2013) — Continuing its efforts to support education, the Bosch Community Fund (BCF) presented an $80,000 grant to Olympic High School in Charlotte, N.C.
The grant was given by Robert Bosch L.L.C. on Dec. 11 to the Olympic Foundation to support the Advanced Manufacturing Hub Machine Shop Project at the high school. Berend Bracht, president and CEO of Bosch Rexroth Americas, presented a check to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education.
In making the donation, Bosch cited U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data that, by 2018, there will be an estimated 229,000 jobs related to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in North Carolina.
“Helping to foster students' interest in and excitement about STEM-related careers is a priority for Bosch,” said Mr. Bracht, who also serves as chairman of the BCF board of directors. “We strive to provide resources to teachers and offer positive opportunities for students.
“Industry working in concert with academia is key to helping develop the next-generation STEM workforce. Preparing students for these jobs is crucial not only to the growth of the individual, but also to industry and to the communities in which they live and work.”
Mike Realon, Olympic's career and community development coordinator, said the school is “thrilled that the Bosch Community Fund is making this kind of significant and meaningful contribution to 21st Century technical education at Olympic High School. This type of donation will go a long way in helping us to build an Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center here in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District, and to give our graduates the great head start they need in their future technical careers.”
The Bosch Group, a global supplier of technology and services, is divided into four business sectors: Automotive Technology, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. The group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its approximately 360 subsidiaries and regional companies in some 50 countries.
The Bosch Community Fund is a U.S.-based foundation established in September 2011 that awards up to $3 million annually in grants to various 501(c)(3) organizations and educational institutions.