Wayne Community College has a new scholarship to help students take advantage of short-term training.
The “GEER Scholarship” can be used for courses in 10 occupational pathways in the college’s Workforce Continuing Education Division. It provides up to $750 for course tuition, fees, books, supplies, credentialing tests, transportation, childcare, and other costs of attendance.
“We are excited to be able to offer this to students who need training for a new career or to enhance the one they have,” said Renita Allen Dawson, associate vice president for workforce continuing education services.
“Students will not have to spend money out of their own pockets,” she said. “This gets the students what they need, when they need it.”
The eligible pathways are Automotive, Aircraft Maintenance, Construction, Criminal Justice, Emergency Medical Services, Fire and Rescue, Healthcare, Industrial/Manufacturing, Information Technology, and Transportation. These are fields with high-demand for qualified employees.
This fall, more than 20 courses are being offered in those pathways, noted Dawson. New classes start throughout the semester and the fall schedule can be viewed at www.waynecc.edu/continuing-ed/
Any student with need who enrolled in a course in one of the designated areas on or after Aug. 24, 2020 or who enrolls prior to Sept. 30, 2022 can apply.
Recipients must be North Carolina residents and enrolled in a program of at least 96 hours that leads to a state or industry-recognized credential.
The GEER Scholarship application can be found at www.waynecc.edu/continuing-ed/
The money is from CARES Act funding that was awarded to the state by the U.S. Department of Education to provide emergency assistance as a result of the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019.
Gov. Roy Cooper used $15 million of that funding to establish the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Funds Scholarships with the stated intention of removing access barriers to high-quality short-term workforce training provided by the state’s community colleges.
The State Board of Community Colleges approved an allocation of $203,487 to Wayne Community College for these scholarships.
Wayne Community College is a public, learning-centered institution with an open-door admission policy located in Goldsboro, N.C. As it works to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce, the college serves 11,000 individuals annually as well as businesses, industry, and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 140 college credit programs. WCC’s mission is to meet the educational, training, and cultural needs of the communities it serves. Connect with WCC at waynecc.edu.
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