by BRIAN BERTRAND
TIMES STAFF

Grainger Inc. awarded its annual Grainger Tools for Tomorrow scholarship to Jeannie Ting and Pedro Casorla, two construction majors at San Jose City College. The scholarships are awarded annually to students who pursue majors in electronic systems, heating and air conditioning, plumbing, pneumatics, welding, general construction, facilities maintenance, and other industrial trades.

Grainger Inc. is a local distributor that provides businesses with equipment ranging from electrical, plumbing, safety, and proper security tools along with a wide variety of pumps, raw materials, and adhesives.

Grainger's Tools for Tomorrow program provides a $2,000 scholarship prior to their second year of schooling and a customized toolkit upon completion. To qualify, students must have a letter of recommendation from a teacher or advisor, a list of clubs and accomplishments related to their field of study, a 200-300 word essay on why the student chose to study in the field, and a 3.0 to 4.0 GPA.

Students are selected in a panel of judges hand picked by the company. The panel reviews the applications for educational merit, technical achievement, demonstrated leadership, and commitment to the area of study.

"Grainger s dedicated to developing a well-trained, skilled labor force," said Andy Hall, manager for Grainger's North San Jose branch. "It's a pleasure to join San Jose City College in this pursuit."

Ting said she will do private construction training in Oakland now that he has completed the proper courses at SJCC.

"My focus now is to get a contractor's license," Ting said. "I've taken eight units of work experience with Conklin Bros. Carpet and Floor Coverings."