FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Boston Tooling and Machining Association Launches New Non-Profit Foundation to Offer the Charles “Chuck” Colachico Memorial Scholarships

WOBURN, Mass. — The Boston Tooling and Machining Association (BTMA), the local chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA), is proud to announce the formation of its new 501(c)(3) Boston Tooling and Machining Education Foundation (BTM-EF). The non-profit was created for the sole purpose of acting as a conduit for workforce development, launching its mission in a distinct partnership with Jeanne M. Colachico, New England labor and employment attorney, to establish the Charles “Chuck” Colachico Memorial Scholarships.

The scholarship program will offer two distinct pathways of financial support to individuals entering the machining field. The first is a dedicated programming scholarship to fund technical training, while the second provides a complete professional toolbox to set the individual up for immediate success on their career path. By removing this financial barrier, BTM-EF and Colachico aim to fast-track motivated talent into a highly compensated trade. This program opens a direct pathway to a robust career path built alongside rapidly evolving smart technologies.

“Our local small and medium-sized shops and suppliers are investing in the most sophisticated equipment and smart technologies available today,” said Andy Heath, President of the BTM-EF. “We founded this new non-profit foundation to be the direct pipeline connecting eager students with these vital, high-tech careers. Partnering with Jeanne to honor her father’s legacy gives our foundation its heartbeat. Chuck represented the exact lifelong curiosity and precision that defines our industry, and these scholarships ensure his dedication to the craft will inspire the next generation.”

The scholarships are dedicated to the memory of Charles “Chuck” Colachico, the son of Italian immigrants who lived in Wakefield, Mass., and worked as a first-class machinist for nearly all of his 96 years. After graduating from Woburn High School in 1935, Chuck entered the trade, learning as he went until there was little he couldn’t make, tool, or fix—with or without a blueprint. Following a 42-year career with a single employer, he retired only to run his own successful machining business for the next 30+ years, providing master-level turning, milling, welding, and blueprint-driven operations to a diverse cadre of corporate clients.

“My father didn’t golf, fish, or travel widely; he simply loved to work at his machines,” said Jeanne M. Colachico, Principal of Jeanne M. Colachico, Esquire & Associates in North Andover, Mass. “He found immense pride and an inquisitive spirit in this trade. Partnering with BTMA to launch this dedicated non-profit ensures that his passion lives on by giving motivated individuals the break they need to step into a proud, lifelong career in advanced manufacturing.”

Information on application deadlines, eligibility criteria, and how local SMEs and suppliers can support the foundation will be available in the near future at the Boston Tooling & Machining Association website.

Media Contact:

Andy Heath
President BTM-EF
btmef@outlook.com