Scholarships for Job Skills Retraining for Adults

LaurieAbildso
LaurieAbildso Posts: 70 ✭✭✭
Foundant Fan Third Compass Anniversary 10 Comments Grant Lifecycle Manager (GLM)
edited November 2021 in Grants & Scholarships

Does anyone have experience managing a scholarship to support adults looking for job skills retraining (trade, technical, certificate programs)? In addition to the standard tuition, fees, we have a donor that would like to support needed supplies, equipment, etc.

All of our current scholarships are traditional ones aimed at high school seniors or current college students. I would love to see examples of applications for non-traditional scholarships and learn how you've set up your process. For example, do you use rolling application deadlines rather than the traditional January - March timeframe?

And how do you market these scholarship opportunities?

Many thanks!

(This is a repost of a previous thread, which didn't get much in the way of a response! I'm hoping this timing is better!)

Laurie Abildso

Vice President

Your Community Foundation of North Central West Virginia, Inc.

Comments

  • I'm not even close to an expert, but marketing the scholarship opportunities could be done through HR of some of your area technical employers or even at staffing solution firms to encourage temporary workers into gaining full-time status.

  • robincowles
    robincowles Posts: 27 ✭✭✭
    Groundbreaker Scholarship Lifecycle Manager (SLM) Foundant Scholarship Management+ Certificate Third Compass Anniversary

    Hi Laurie,

    We allow students to request reimbursement for required supplies/equipment for their program. I worked with a student that was enrolled in an employer based apprenticeship program and we reimbursed him for tools. The employer was able to provide me with a list of equipment required for the apprenticeship. I think this worked very well for the student.

  • DeirdreMcLoughlin
    DeirdreMcLoughlin Posts: 66 ✭✭✭
    World Traveler Scholarship Lifecycle Manager (SLM) National Scholarship Providers Association (NSPA) Third Compass Anniversary

    Hi Robin,

    I am actually interested in your scholarship that would help apprenticeships. Can you tell me a little bit about it?

    Deirdre McLoughlin

  • LaurieAbildso
    LaurieAbildso Posts: 70 ✭✭✭
    Foundant Fan Third Compass Anniversary 10 Comments Grant Lifecycle Manager (GLM)

    Thank you @DeirdreMcLoughlin and @robincowles.

    Deirdre, we are in the process of meeting with all of the local vocational/trade schools to make them aware of the opportunity, and I'm boosted by your comment that connecting with those institutions worked well. We are also going to use traditional media and reach out to social service agencies and the local Workforce office, but I think we'll have the most success with the schools themselves. I'd love to chat with you more about your experience. Please email me at laurie@ycfwv.org with your availability over the next few weeks. Many thanks!

    Laurie Abildso

    Vice President

    Your Community Foundation of North Central West Virginia, Inc.

  • CarolReynolds
    CarolReynolds Posts: 113 ✭✭✭
    Voter User Group Meet-Ups 100 Comments
    edited March 2022

    We offer a nontraditional scholarship that is open each year until the funds are depleted. It is a restricted process in SLM. Students reach out to our education officer to explain their needs and if she thinks they fit, she provides the code. These awards can be used for certifications, full university tuition, or anything in between. We have several funds that are specifically for nontraditional students and we use one application, that is light on questions and heavy on interviews, to determine which scholarship is appropriate for the student. We work hand-in-hand with a nonprofit in our county that specializes in helping this population navigate higher education. They do the follow-up work to be sure the student has the tools they need to complete their training or degree.

    https://givehcgrowhc.org/adult-education/

  • KateClavijo
    KateClavijo Posts: 18 ✭✭✭
    Conversation Starter Scholarship Lifecycle Manager (SLM) 10 Comments 5-Year Anniversary

    We are in the process of setting up a scholarship program for current or former foster youth interested in pursuing Career and Technical Education (CTE) at select community colleges. Knowing the path is not as straight and there are likely to be some times when students take time off, we are also trying to figure out how often to open the application for new students. We have a draft application in SLM and scoring guide that is being reviewed and validated by a panel of experts. Send me a message l if you would like to see a draft.

  • JennyCampbell
    JennyCampbell Posts: 22 ✭✭
    Conversation Starter Third Compass Anniversary 10 Comments Name Dropper

    @robincowles

    I'm curious to hear more about your apprenticeship scholarship, as one of our Community Colleges has expressed a need for this. However, it the funds are not being issued to a 'qualified educational institution,' how do you manage this as a non-taxable expenditure?

    Thank you.

  • robincowles
    robincowles Posts: 27 ✭✭✭
    Groundbreaker Scholarship Lifecycle Manager (SLM) Foundant Scholarship Management+ Certificate Third Compass Anniversary

    Hi Jenny,

    We have handled this situation by reimbursing students for required tools/supplies. If a student has an apprenticeship, they should be able to obtain a list of required equipment from the apprenticeship coordinator.