Team Eagle Foundation and the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program (NJMEP) Expand Their Partnership

Manufacturing Career Paths for New Jersey’s Youth 

The LEDR Program is Back! 

Cedar Knolls, New Jersey – March 31, 2021 – The Team Eagle Foundation (TEF) presented NJMEP with a check for $25,000 to support the rebirth of the Summer Jobs Program, “Experience Manufacturing” and Leadership Excellence – Direct Results (LEDR).

Funds will be used to develop new support programs to help expose young people to the High-Tech World of Manufacturing / STEM and encourage them to consider the industry as a career path. Through these programs, students will have access to incredible professional experiences in the manufacturing industry through Summer Jobs, Internships, and Pre-Apprenticeships.

“I’m thrilled to see the Team Eagle Foundation expand its partnership with NJMEP. There is so much opportunity waiting in the manufacturing industry. Students, their parents, and educators just need to know what’s out there.” Explained John W. Kennedy, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, NJMEP. He continued, “The average annual income of a New Jersey manufacturing professional is over $90,000 a year. This 9-year partnership between TEF and NJMEP will be active in reversing the outdated image of the industry by providing students the chance to experience it for themselves. This is a massive step forward for manufacturing and New Jersey.”

Team Eagle Foundation and NJMEP have been working together to support scholarships like the “Anthony DeSantis ‘Service to America’ and the Bob Beaman -B-Involved Scholarships, along with community outreach like the “Leadership Excellence-Direct Results” (LEDR) program, a Strategic Youth Mentoring camp for Students ages 15-20 for nearly a decade. This partnership has helped over 330 young adults and has invested over a half a million dollars into these Young Adults, and now will expand even further.

This $25,000 investment will be matched ‘dollar for dollar’ by NJMEP and 100% will be invested in youth programs. Both organizations will be looking for additional supporters, and the return of the ‘Jersey Guys Golf Outing’ in July will continue to fund Scholarships.

New Jersey needs strong leaders and fresh new professionals in the manufacturing industry. Through this partnership, TEF and NJMEP will be able to bolster their efforts, continue supporting the local community, and assist in creating the manufacturing workforce of the future. Pictured [Left to Right]: TEF board members Sean Kennedy and James Hogan presented Sally White, NJMEP Director of Business Development with the check on 3/31/21.

About Team Eagle Foundation:

Team Eagle Foundation (TEF), established in 2010, is headquartered in Madison, New Jersey. It is a non-profit foundation established to recognize the need for continued support of “maturing” youth by providing them with training in “applicable leadership for the real world”. 330 young adults from all 21 NJ Counties have attended the week-long LEDR Strategic Mentoring Camp, which was suspended by Covid-19, and now has returned to continue its work.

About NJMEP:

NJMEP is a private, not-for-profit organization that improves the profitability and competitiveness of New Jersey’s manufacturers. Backed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NJMEP enables organizations to enhance their productivity and efficiencies, reduce costs, and improve employee performance.

For more than 25 years, NJMEP has used its extensive network of connections and proven track record of success to help manufacturers adapt to the latest innovative technologies and best practices to realize more than $5.4 billion in value. Our services are categorized into the following three areas: Operational Excellence, Innovation and Growth Strategies, and Workforce Development. NJMEP also has a signature philanthropic program, Manufacturing Cares, which is designed to provide a platform for manufacturers to give back to the community by pooling efforts to increase our impact.