A group of people engaged in a discussion or activity in a community setting.

Communities

Strengthening communities

3M helps create paths to economic well-being around the world. Through new and existing programs, we invest to build a foundation of accessible opportunities far into the future. We collaborate with our community partners to track outcomes, minimize barriers, and expand our engagement.

Supporting STEM experiences

Science Encouragement Programs
These robust, replicable programs connect students with volunteer 3M scientists and engineers to inspire the students to pursue science careers.

3M TWIST (Teachers Working in Science and Technology), a six-week paid summer research program for teachers

3M STEP (Science Training Encouragement Program), pairing St. Paul public high school juniors and seniors with a 3M mentor and offering hands-on experience in a 3M lab over the summer

3M Visiting Wizards, in partnership with the Bakken Museum, where volunteers provide science demonstrations and hands-on experiments to K–5 students globally

3M Tech Talks, a global program connecting middle and high school students with 3M role models from a variety of technical job positions, degree levels, and backgrounds
STEM programs around the world
Our global teams actively foster pathways to STEM careers through programs including:

FIRST^® Robotics – This program helps young people discover and engage with STEM opportunities. Our global partnership with FIRST^® sponsors teams around the world, with 3M volunteers serving as mentors and coaches. 3M also makes significant product donations to support high-performing robots.

Local STEM initiatives – 3M sites in countries around the world build partnerships for STEM education with schools and nonprofit organizations in their local communities.
3M Young Scientist Challenge

The premier U.S. science competition for students in grades 5 to 8, this one-of-a-kind competition seeks to spark curiosity in students and empower them to solve real-world problems to help improve lives. The winner receives a $25,000 scholarship and the annual title of “America’s Top Young Scientist.”
National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)

In 2024, 3M continued to support NSBE’s SEEK (Summer Engineering Experience for Kids) program, a hands-on summer engineering experience open to all students in grades 3 to 5. NSBE also has a virtual experience that reaches participants around the world.

Building up the skilled trades

Community training resources

To promote the development of a skilled workforce, we invest in programs like the 3M Manufacturing and Academic Partnership. This program connects students to careers in manufacturing through grant support for a robust mechatronics curriculum while providing hands-on education and 3M employees as guest educators. We continue to roll out the program in U.S. communities with 3M operations while aiming to expand globally, starting with an initial program in Poland.
Skilled trades career pathway

3M helps St. Paul public school students receive college or certification credits for skilled trades classes through a collaboration with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system and Saint Paul Public Schools. With the growing need for skilled trades in manufacturing, this helps build out 3M’s hiring pipeline and gives more students a path to a well-paying job and a bright future.