Thanks to the Metallica Scholarship, Carmen DeBerry’s life has taken a remarkable turn. Now a licensed commercial delivery truck driver in Baltimore, Maryland, Carmen has a career that allows her to care for her daughter and her mother while building a more secure future.
For Carmen, this opportunity is about more than a job—it’s about peace of mind and stability. She describes the change with clear joy.
“It feels awesome,” she told CBS News.
A life-changing opportunity through the Metallica Scholarship
The Metallica Scholarship helps people train in skilled trades, including truck driving, welding, and construction. These programs open doors to stable careers, but training often costs thousands of dollars—far beyond what many can afford.
For Carmen, that was once a barrier. To become a commercial driver, she enrolled in a program at the Community College of Baltimore County. However, earning a commercial driver’s license can cost as much as $7,500—a sum she could not pay on her own.
That’s where the Metallica Scholarship made a difference.
Funded by the rock band Metallica through their nonprofit, All Within My Hands, the scholarship program works with community colleges across the country to support students who want to learn essential trade skills.
With this help, Carmen completed her training and started her career as a commercial delivery driver.
Interestingly, when she first signed up, she had no idea the famous band was behind the program.
“I didn’t know when I first signed up that it was through Metallica; they just called it a scholarship,” she said.
All Within My Hands: Supporting skilled trades nationwide
The All Within My Hands foundation has donated more than $10 million to help schools train people for careers in trades. These include jobs that keep communities running, such as plumbing, electrical work, construction, and trucking.
For James Hetfield, Metallica’s lead singer and guitarist, the mission is deeply personal. He believes many people thrive through hands-on skills rather than traditional college paths.
“Not everyone is built for college, and not everyone needs college,”
Hetfield grew up with a father who was a truck driver, giving him a strong respect for blue-collar work. That respect deepened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was very evident during COVID, you know, when we weren’t able to go out and do our thing,” said Hetfield. “But the plumber, the electrician, the truck driver, the people who needed to help keep America running were there. And thank God for them. You know, my thought is that the next millionaires will be the tradesmen.”
Band members who know hard work
Other Metallica members share this respect. Bassist Robert Trujillo gained firsthand experience in physical labor, working in construction before his music career. These experiences shaped how he views success and the importance of helping others.
As the band’s fame grew, the members asked themselves how they could use that success to make a positive impact. That question inspired the creation of All Within My Hands.
From leftover food to life-changing support
The foundation started simply. During tours, the band often had extra food backstage. Rather than letting it go to waste, they donated it to local food banks.
Over time, All Within My Hands expanded to provide financial aid to communities affected by disasters like wildfires and earthquakes.
Guitarist Kirk Hammett recalls the 2017 wildfires in Northern California, which inspired the band to act quickly to help families in need.
Hammett said the foundation’s contributions for food and medicine made a real difference for people struggling to rebuild their lives.
Growing the mission and inspiring others
At first, the band preferred to keep their charity work quiet. Drummer Lars Ulrich said they did not want attention for their donations.
Over time, however, they realized sharing the work of All Within My Hands could inspire others. Ulrich often compares communities to herds: when everyone supports each other, everyone thrives.
Today, Metallica hosts a major annual charity event in Los Angeles to support the foundation and programs like the Metallica Scholarship. Last year alone, the event raised $3.5 million.
The gatherings also draw supporters like actor Jason Momoa, who considers Metallica his heroes.
Finding purpose beyond music
With more than 180 million records sold worldwide, Metallica has a fan base spanning generations. Yet as they age, the band members say their view of success has evolved.
For Hetfield, music is no longer the only focus.
“It seems clearer that we have a purpose,”
He explains that the band’s work now includes bringing joy to people and giving back to communities.
That purpose, he explained, is to bring joy to people around the world. He added that it still amazes him to see three generations of fans rocking out to Master of Puppets, a song he wrote at 22 while feeling frustrated.
As Hetfield reflected, he said that as people grow older, they begin to see the world differently. He compared it to climbing to the next layer of a high-rise building—the higher you go, the better the view, and the more you can see where you can be of service.
For him, helping others through the band’s work is one of those opportunities to make a meaningful impact.
A personal impact of the Metallica Scholarship in Maryland
The impact of the Metallica Scholarship became tangible for Hetfield during a visit to Maryland. Before a show, he met Carmen, who explained how the scholarship helped her complete training and secure her job.
When she told her bosses that the scholarship funded her education, they were surprised and impressed, ultimately giving her the opportunity.
“Right on!” Hetfield said, thrilled to hear the story.
Changing lives one person at a time
Moments like this remind the band why All Within My Hands matters. While concerts reach thousands, the scholarship changes individual lives, one at a time.
“It is so amazing. We get to go make some people smile out there, deliver the goods by playing songs that saved us in our lives. And then to create a foundation that’s giving back to, you know, the blue collar America? We get to go from thousands that are making big noise, that we know we’re impacting, but to get a one-on-one, you know, heart-to-heart with somebody with somebody whose life you’ve changed, it changes mine.”
How the Metallica Scholarship is helping workers build brighter futures
Today, the Metallica Scholarship continues to open doors nationwide. By partnering with community colleges, it equips students with skills for essential trades—from trucking and construction to electrical work and welding.
For Carmen, the program created a path to stability and hope. Through All Within My Hands, Metallica proves that the impact of their music extends far beyond the stage.
Sometimes, the loudest difference comes from helping someone build a better life.
Catch the inspiring story of how the Metallica Scholarship is changing lives on the CBS Sunday Morning video below:
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