Metal Supermarkets Announces Recipients of 5th Annual Trade School Scholarship

TORONTO, Aug. 24, 2026 // PRNewswire // -- Metal Supermarkets has announced the recipients of its 2026 Trade School Scholarship, awarding $2,500 each to eight trades students at post-secondary schools across the United States and Canada.

This year, Metal Supermarkets doubled its scholarship funding from $10,000 to $20,000 to provide financial support to more young people pursuing valuable careers in the skilled trades and to strengthen its commitment to the industry, which is facing a significant workforce shortage and skills gap in welding talent. In the United States, over 320,000 welding professionals are projected to be needed by 2029. Similarly, in Canada, over 256,000 skilled tradespeople will be needed over the next decade to meet demand. This demand is compounded by an aging workforce, with an estimated five tradespeople retiring for every two new workers entering the field.

To address this critical skills gap and to raise awareness of the trades, the Trade School Scholarship was created in 2022. Since its launch, the program has supported students pursuing meaningful careers in the trades.

"Metal Supermarkets is proud to support and empower the future generation of skilled tradespeople through our annual Trade School Scholarship program. This year, we will help eight trades students pursue their education, develop their skills and build rewarding careers in the essential trades," said Ryan Pryznyk, President and CEO of Metal Supermarkets. "We extend our sincere congratulations to this year's recipients: Gabriel Bautista, Natalie MacKell, Cole Paradis, Lane Waddell, Carmendy Andrews, Luke Maxwell, Joshua Henry and Talus Harris. We wish them the best of luck as they continue their journey toward a career in the trades."

Introducing the 2026 Trade School Scholarship Recipients:

• Gabriel Rojas Bautista (Kansas City, Missouri)
  
  • School: State Technical College Of Missouri
  • Program: Diesel Technology, Off-Road Heavy Equipment, CAT
• Natalie MacKell (Calgary, Alberta)
  
  • School: Olds College of Agriculture & Technology
  • Program: Welder Apprenticeship
• Cole Paradis (Southbridge, Massachusetts)
  
  • School: University of Northwestern Ohio
  • Program: High Performance Motorsports/Automotive Technology
• Lane Waddell (Russiaville, Indiana)
  
  • School: Hobart Institute of Welding Technology
  • Program: Pathways Welding Program
• Carmendy Andrews (Douglas, Ontario)
  
  • School: Loyalist College
  • Program: Welding Techniques
• Luke Maxwell (Danielsville, Georgia)
  
  • School: North Georgia Technical College
  • Program: Precision Machining and Manufacturing
• Joshua Henry (Hutchinson, Kansas)
  
  • School: McPherson College
  • Program: Automotive Restoration
• Talus Harris (Fort Collins, Colorado)
  
  • School: Front Range Community College
  • Program: Forestry Technology (Arborist)

The 2026 Trade School Scholarship judging panel consisted of Metal Supermarkets’ corporate staff, as well as franchisees from stores in Indianapolis, IN; Charleston, SC; Commerce City, CO; Kansas City, KS; Cleveland, OH; and Toronto, ON.

SOURCE Metal Supermarkets Franchising America Inc.

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