UPDATE: The Metallica / Carhartt Labor Day promotion raised $377,450 for the Metallica Scholars Initiative. The funds will be put toward the band's workforce education program, supporting 23 schools via the American Association of Community Colleges.

It was a classified ad that started what would become one of the most successful bands in music history back in 1981, and Metallica are hoping that lightning can strike twice, teaming with Carhartt on a campaign inspired by that ad that will hopefully lead to a wealth of successful careers launching through their All Within My Hands foundation's  Metallica Scholars Program.

It was 40 years ago that Metallica's Lars Ulrich took out a classified ad in a Los Angeles newspaper that read, "Drummer looking for other metal musicians to jam with. Tygers of Pan Tang, Diamond Head and Iron Maiden." That ad caught the eye of James Hetfield and led to their very fruitful and productive career.

Carhartt.com
Carhartt.com
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Now replicating that method of reaching out, this Labor Day (Sept. 6) the band is teaming with with Carhartt through their All Within My Hands Foundation with a campaign mirroring that help wanted ad but instead targeting a new generation of skilled tradesmen.

This "want ad" is aimed at raising funds and connecting people through workforce education opportunities. The reimagined ad features the band members from Metallica paired with copy that harkens back to the original ad with a World War-era “We Want You” feel. Job seekers and supporters alike are directed to visit Carhartt.com to learn more about how to get involved with All Within My Hands’ Metallica Scholars, the initiative dedicated to providing skills and services to students of all ages who are looking to enter a traditional trade or other applied learning program.

“To build the workforce of the future, we need to connect more people to the training and education that helps fill essential jobs,” said Janet Ries, Vice President of Marketing at Carhartt. “With our partnership, we’re sending the message that whether you’re in high school looking for a first step, or out of work looking for a new start: come join the skilled trades. What better time to recruit job seekers into these exciting, high-demand opportunities than on Labor Day?”

Carhartt.com
Carhartt.com
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Metallica know that stage crews and skilled workers are the backbone of the live events industry. To show just how essential these jobs are, Carhartt and All Within My Hands recruited a few lucky job seekers to build a mock Metallica stage piece at Upstaging, Inc., a production and transportation company who helps put on shows for some of the biggest names in the music and entertainment business. The workshop experience is documented in a new video, “Hard Rock is Hard Work” (seen below), and provides a look at the various trade jobs in live events that are also transferrable to the larger job market – including welding and fabrication, lighting and electrical, construction, transportation and more.

The new campaign comes during a period after millions of people in the live events industry were put out of work after the sidelining of concerts and sporting events due to the pandemic. The need for skilled workers also applies to the country at large as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 943,000 new jobs in July 2021, many of which are in industries that require skilled labor.

“Carhartt and All Within My Hands are bound by our shared passion for supporting workforce education,” said Dr. Edward Frank, Executive Director at All Within My Hands Foundation. “As two organizations dedicated to providing opportunity, we hope to expand the Metallica Scholars program to include even more schools this year, and to get even more students trained for a career in the skilled trades.”

As part of the campaign, Carhartt are donating all their online sales on Labor Day to the Metallica Scholars program to provide opportunities for those wishing to fill skilled labor positions. For more info on the "Every Day Is Labor Day" campaign, check here.

Carhartt X Metallica's All Within My Hands - "Hard Rock Is Hard Work"

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