Toyota Tennessee donates $100K for new STEM lab at Jackson Central-Merry Early College High

JACKSON, Tenn. — Toyota Tennessee has donated $100,000 to build a new STEM lab at Jackson Central-Merry Early College High School, expanding the company’s EM² Institute program for high school students.

The institute teaches students skills in advanced manufacturing, robotics and mechatronics, with the goal of preparing them for jobs in West Tennessee.

A Toyota Tennessee representative said the donation is tied directly to a workforce gap the company is working to address.

“Our problem or issue we face as a company — the workforce that these kids are doing with STEM is not there, it’s not established,” the representative said. “And this is truly our future, when you look at these young people up in the front, that’s the future of our company being able to succeed in the business and industry that we do, and it’s because of them.”

New classes through the expanded program are set to begin this fall. Enrollment is currently underway.

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