Dec. 20, 2006 — The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and the Association for Iron & Steel Technology Foundation (AIST Foundation) have announced that applications for the second year of the Steel Engineering Education Link (STEEL) Scholarships are being accepted now through March 2, 2007. The program is open to all technical engineering students interested in a career in the steel industry.

The STEEL Scholarship/Internship program matches corporate sponsors with qualified engineering students who are awarded US$5,000 for the scholar’s junior year, a paid summer internship with the sponsoring steel company between his/her junior and senior year, and US$5,000 toward his/her senior year tuition. The sponsorships help to support the program’s goals of increasing the number of students that study engineering in North America, and encouraging such students to pursue careers in the iron and steel industry upon graduation.

The combination of a scholarship and summer internship is intended to provide incentives for students to become involved in the steel industry, similar to the incentives provided to scholars through the FeMET Initiative. Students entering the program are ensured a two-year commitment, provided the student’s performance is satisfactory both academically and in the internship.

“FeMET has been successful creating significant desire for materials science and metallurgy students to join the steel industry. STEEL offers these same incentives to engineering students of all disciplines,” said Ron Ashburn, Executive Director of AIST. “Building the next generation of industry technologists — whether they are mechanical engineers, electrical engineers or metallurgists — is paramount to the creation of a sustainable steel industry; FeMET and STEEL help us accomplish this goal.”

“There is a shrinking pool of engineering students in North America, and we face significant competition from other industries for these resources. The STEEL scholarships help us raise awareness of the steel industry to these students,” said Andrew G. Sharkey III, AISI president and CEO. “We expect a significant expansion of the program for 2007 and call upon the industry to support this measure.”

The AIST Foundation seeks to attract young, technology-oriented professionals to the industry by promoting the high-tech, diverse and well-paying nature of careers in modern steelmaking. Scholarships are awarded on an annual basis to talented and dedicated students to encourage the pursuit of a career within iron and steel-related industries. Approximately $340,000 will be awarded in 2006 through the AIST Foundation and its affiliated groups. The AIST Foundation is a Pennsylvania-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that is part of AIST, an international professional and technical association of more than 14,000 professional and student members. As the industry evolves, the AIST Foundation will strive to develop new and innovative programs to support the future of the iron and steel technology.

AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI is comprised of 32 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 125 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. AISI's member companies represent more than 75% of both U.S. and North American steel capacity.