The USA’s Glass Manufacturing Industry Council (GMIC) has announced its latest grant programme, to support student tours of glass manufacturing facilities. Applications are now being accepted from higher education institutions.

It is evident that the glass manufacturing industry faces challenges to attract capable, technically trained students to careers in glass manufacture. Because GMIC has found that students become significantly more interested in glass manufacturing careers after they tour glass manufacturing facilities and see glass melting and forming on an industrial scale, however, the organisation is making available grants to underwrite the expenses incurred by higher education institutions that offer glass manufacturing tours.

"Student tours of manufacturing facilities provide a view behind the scenes of the highly diverse opportunities in the glass industry" commented GMIC President Martin H Goller of Corning. "They provide a spark for unexpected career paths and provide a great opportunity to learn the broad needs of engineering and manufacturing skills that are in demand in our field."

Grants are available to post-high school education institutions, such as universities and colleges. These students may be of any technical major, such as materials science, mechanical engineering, glass etc. They may be of any class level, such as, freshman, senior, or graduate.