Four companies that collaborated to create a scholarship fund for students seeking careers in the trades awarded $21,000 in aid this year.

The Maine Blue Collar Scholarship Foundation, created by Moody’s Collision Centers, Gilman Electric, Rowe Ford and Risbara Bros. Construction, formed to encourage students to consider careers in skilled trades. Companies that need carpenters, welders, plumbers, electricians, mechanics and other skilled trades are experiencing chronic shortages, according to a release from the foundation.

This year, it awarded $21,000 in scholarships to 26 students in amounts ranging from $500 to $2,500. Since its founding in 2014, the foundation has raised $125,000 and dispersed scholarships to 85 Maine students.

Students were asked to submit an essay on what the scholarship would mean to them and how it could impact their career trajectory. Over 150 students applied.