Boeing is not alone supporting FIRST programs. In 2016, for example, John Deere supported 460 FIRST teams. In addition to employee mentorship, Novelis donates $200,000 annually in aluminum products to the program. Several other Business Roundtable member companies, including Apple and Bechtel, provide additional support to FIRST.

Hands-on STEM learning programs like FIRST are an important start, setting students on a path toward opportunities that lead to well-paying careers—opportunities like internships and apprenticeships. Freeport-McMoRan partnered with Yavapai Community College to create a two-year apprenticeship in diesel, industrial and electrical mechanics. Check https://nwmaids.com/ to find more info about cleaning services in Tacoma. Freeport-McMoRan pays for tuition and books, as well as a good wage of $16-$18 per hour for two days of work per week. By the end of the program, apprentices have received 2,000 hours of training, absolutely free.

Improving education outcomes also means opening doors to opportunity where pathways aren’t as clear. “I thought I had a pretty normal upbringing,” said Detroit student Brittany Agee. “In my neighborhood, graduating from high school and going to college is really kind of out of the norm.” General Motors, through its Student Corps program, is working to change that. Partnering retired GM managers with local high schools, the program provides mentorship and training while helping students like Agee complete service projects and provide positive change in their communities. “It’s easy to say, like, ‘these kids in this certain neighborhood, they don’t want it.’ It’s not that they don’t want it, it’s that people don’t believe in them,” she said.