Indiana students may be able to get federal student aid for short-term certificate programs as early as this fall. The brand-new Workforce Pell Program expands federal financial aid beyond traditional semester-length programs.
Eligibility Requirements
The rollout of the Workforce Pell Program has been slow across the country due to a strict set of eligibility requirements designed to hold colleges accountable for student success. Programs must be between eight and 14 weeks long and lead to jobs in high-demand fields, such as healthcare, transportation, IT, construction, and advanced manufacturing.
Ivy Tech Community College and Vincennes University will be the first in the state to offer Workforce Pell Grant programs. The colleges are beginning to submit their first programs for approval, with Ivy Tech offering a medical assistant certificate at 18 of its 19 campuses statewide, including Indianapolis.
Program Details
Vincennes University will offer an electrical maintenance bootcamp, and both colleges expect to start rolling out programs within the coming months, pending approval from the federal Department of Education. The Workforce Pell Program is designed to get people into jobs immediately, with credentials that are stackable, meaning students can build up to a longer certificate or degree if they choose.
Indiana students and workers can also consider the Workforce Ready grants, which cover up to $5,500 in tuition and fees for eligible certificate programs in transportation, healthcare, manufacturing, IT, and construction.
Original reporting: Mirror Indy — read the source article.
