Metallica to Help 1,000 London College Students Through Education Fund

Heavy metal band Metallica will financially support 1,000 disadvantaged students at Capital City College in Angel, north London, the BBC reported. The initiative aims to boost their education and employment prospects.

The band's Metallica Scholars Initiative, launched in 2019, will provide the college with £186,000 to support students with travel costs and short courses, according to the BBC. Since its creation, the initiative has given out more than $16.5 million in grants, supporting approximately 15,000 students across the United States.

This marks the first time the programme has been extended internationally. Starting this September, over 1,000 young Londoners studying vocational courses at the college will benefit, gaining skills to begin careers in construction, engineering, healthcare, digital technologies and hospitality.

Drummer Lars Ulrich said the move was about giving back to communities the band had met during 45 years of touring. "Given the universal need for skilled tradespeople, the logical next step is to expand our workforce education initiatives internationally," he said.

The announcement comes as Office for National Statistics data showed London's youth unemployment rate stands at 23.1% for 16 to 24-year-olds—the highest in the UK.