The Tulsa Area Manufacturers Association gave out $9,000 in scholarships Friday to 12 students working toward careers in advanced manufacturing.
Scholarship Chair Everett Treat said the awards weren’t easy to get.
"You have to have a 3.0 or better grade point average, a 95 percent attendance rate, you have to go through an interview with a bunch of us guys who ask you lots of questions," Treat said. "And so these students who we're honoring today are the best of the best."
Scholarships ranged from $750 to $1,000 for full-time students and from $500 to $750 for part-time students.
TAMA President Richard Havir said the organization has worked hard the last several years to change how people see manufacturing jobs.
"It's not dirty. It's not dingy. It's a great career; it's a great place to be," Havir said. "It's why our state has, you know, some of the lowest unemployment rates in the country."
TAMA also gave donations of up to $1,500 to local organizations. Several Tulsa organizations and officials promote advanced manufacturing as a key industry for the future.
