New Short-Term Workforce Grants Support Students in High-Demand Fields

Students who would like to pursue credentials in high-demand occupations have have a new resource. Short-term Workforce Development (STWD) Grants help students get started in high-demand fields such as nurse aide, insurance, barbering, paramedic, drone operation, CDL truck driving, and HVAC repair. This grant can help students cover costs such as textbooks, childcare, transportation and testing fees that may not be covered under other programs or scholarships. STWD Grants are another component of the Beaufort Promise, where Beaufort County Community College matches students with funding to cover all tuition and fees for college credit courses and 50+ hour certification courses. STWD Grants can be used for upcoming summer courses through the Division of Continuing Education.

In 2021, the General Assembly allocated $3,000,000 per year for the next two years to the N.C. Community College System (NCCCS) for eligible students pursuing high-demand workforce training programs within workforce pathways identified in collaboration with the Department of Commerce that lead to a State or industry-recognized credential. These funds intend to remove access barriers to high quality, in-demand, sustaining wage careers for North Carolinians. Through this program, each college is able to determine grant award amounts based on student needs, local industry needs, number of eligible students, and cost of the course/pathway, up to a maximum award of $750 per course. These grants will help address the cost of tuition/registration fees, course fees, books, supplies, credentialing tests, transportation, childcare, and any other components of the total cost of attendance.

Students must be North Carolina residents and register for one of the following courses:

• HVAC Level I
• HVAC Level II
• HVAC Level III
• Welding (Stick, TIG, MIG)
• Casualty Agent
• Health Insurance Agent
• Life Insurance Agent
• Property Agent
• Pharmacy Technician
• Registered Medical Assistant
• Nurse Aide I
• Nurse Aide II
• Registered Barber
• Paramedic
• Real Estate Provisional Broker
• Vehicle Escort Certification
• FAA Remote Pilot Certificate (Part 107)
• NC Dealer License
• CDL Truck Driving

Students can find the application here. See a full-list of all Continuing Education courses offered this summer here.