Hypertherm 2021 "Spark Something Great" Grant Closes April 2

Hypertherm is accepting applications for its Spark Something Great educational grant program on April 2. For this year’s grant, Hypertherm plans to award a Powermax45 XP plasma system and deliver in-person training to 12 North American schools.

The Spark Something Great grant program is now its seventh year. The grant is meant to support the next generation of welders and metal fabricators by making the latest plasma-cutting equipment and standardized instruction available to schools. To date, the company has awarded systems to 64 schools. This year, applications are due on or before April 2, with grant decisions communicated by May 3. More information, including instructions for applying, is available at www.hypertherm.com/grant.

“Although many programs are limited to online instruction only because of the pandemic, we want to ensure teachers have the resources they need to make up lost ground once students return to the classroom,” says Betsy Van Duyne, who manages Hypertherm’s educational program. “This grant will provide 12 schools with a highly capable system, giving teachers the flexibility to teach both handheld and mechanized cutting, as well as applications such as gouging, flush cutting and marking with air plasma.”

In addition to the grant program, Hypertherm will continue to make all ten hours of its AWS SENSE-approved “Plasma Cutting Technology: Theory and Practice” course available to teachers as a free download. The course materials cover the plasma cutting process, common industrial uses for plasma systems, proper setup and operation, safety procedures and the differences between various cutting methods. Electronic versions of each lesson, a facilitator’s guide, student workbooks and supporting reference material are all available at www.hypertherm.com/plasmaeducation.