ANNANDALE, Minn. — Malco Products SBC, provided support to the national technical education community with a $25,600 in-kind donation of Malco Backpack Tool Kits for SkillsUSA State Association Sheet Metal Champions. These students went on to compete at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.

Malco donates more than $160,000 of in-kind products and apparel annually to a variety of skilled trade education programs, competitions, and events across the country, including high school, post-secondary technical and apprenticeship programs, regional apprenticeship contests, and SkillsUSA state and national conferences. Malco also offers discounts and a custom tool-kitting program to educators and students through its distributors.

Each school term, Malco also recognizes high-achieving students and entire graduating classes in the HVAC/sheet metal, building construction, and autobody repair fields through the “Head of the Class” Student Recognition Program.

Through the no-cost Head of the Class program, educators can nominate an outstanding graduating student to receive a significant Malco tool gift with an average value of $150. The entire graduating class also receives Malco caps. Since 2005, the Head of the Class program has reached more than 65,000 students, including 3,500 Head of the Class honorees, representing more than 740 high school career technical education programs, technical schools, union Joint Apprenticeship Training Committees, and industry association programs across the U.S. and Canada.

“At a time when there is a nationwide shortage of hard-working women and men in the trades, we are proud to provide support for their education through these initiatives,” said Mardon Quandt, Malco CEO and president. “Malco also ensures as many tradespeople as possible are able to tackle their jobs effectively with our high-quality, labor-saving tools.”

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