Under a new Pell Grant program that starts on July 1, new high school graduates from low-income families can apply for federal financial aid for short-term workforce training programs.
Students who qualify can use Workforce Pell Grant funding for eight- to 15-week programs that are offered through eligible colleges and universities and authorized by the federal government and state governors. The courses should lead to certificates in high-demand fields.
Until now, Pell Grants have been available to low-income students pursuing higher education degrees. The workforce grants have been a bipartisan goal for years, said Amy Loyd, CEO of the nonpartisan group All4Ed. “It certainly resonates with this moment, with the need for stronger opportunities for young people and adults to earn meaningful credentials,” she said.
But, she cautioned, the short-term credentials world “is fraught with lots of smoke and mirrors and dead ends,” so a lot of work still needs to be done to ensure the program achieves its goals.
The Education Department estimates the Workforce Pell Grant program will cost a total of $3.2 billion over 10 years.
Education Week, May 28