Metallica is putting money behind students in north London, with £186,000 going to Capital City College in Angel to support more than 1,000 disadvantaged young people.
The heavy metal band launched the Metallica Scholars Initiative in 2019 and said it had since given out more than $16.5 million in grants, supporting about 15,000 students across the United States.
Starting this September, the programme will support over 1,000 young Londoners studying vocational courses at Capital City College. The funding will help students with costs including travel and short courses.
The Metallica Scholars will gain skills needed to begin careers in construction, engineering, healthcare, digital technologies and hospitality.
Lars Ulrich, the drummer for Metallica, said the programme was about giving back to the “incredibly passionate” communities the band had met in 45 years of touring the world.
He said: “We’ve focused our charitable efforts on helping people in the communities we visit by giving back locally through food banks and shelters, and by sponsoring blood drives.
“Given the universal need for skilled tradespeople, the logical next step is to expand our workforce education initiatives internationally, starting with bringing our Metallica Scholars Initiative to London.
“This is only the beginning – as we like to say, we’re just getting started.”
The band set up its charitable foundation, All Within My Hands, nearly a decade ago.
The funding comes as new Office for National Statistics data showed London had the highest youth unemployment rate in the UK, with 23.1 percent of 16 to 24-year-olds out of work.
Sarah Victor, 18, who is studying health and social care at Capital City College, said she was trying to study using £15 a week from a bursary, but most of it was going on travel.
“It’s really frustrating, because I really want to do the best I can, but then if I don’t have the right funds, then I actually can’t do the best that I want to do.”
Kysharn Queensborough, 17, is studying a professional culinary course at the college. He said travelling from Northwood to Angel was an expense he was struggling with.
“It is annoying knowing that you can do better or better than others but you just can’t afford to get by really,” he said.
He said he was “grateful for the opportunity” provided by the Metallica funding.
Capital City College chief executive officer Angela Joyce said the funding from Metallica was a “huge opportunity” for under-served communities in London and would help address growing demand for skilled workers across major sectors.
Metallica is one of several musicians carrying out philanthropic work alongside touring. Beyoncé started giving donations through her organisation BeyGOOD in 2013, Taylor Swift reportedly gave “substantial donations” to food banks at many UK tour stops during her Eras tour in 2024, and Harry Styles donated £1 from every ticket sold on his UK stadium tour this year to grassroots music venues.
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