Governor Terry McAuliffe announced earlier this month the launch of the Workforce Credential Grant (WCG) program designed to ensure that workforce credentials are accessible and affordable for Virginians seeking the skills they need to obtain good-paying jobs in high-demand fields.  According to Governor McAuliffe, "This program establishes a first-in-the-nation performance funding formula to create and sustain a supply of credentialed workers who meet the needs identified by our business leaders."

 

The new program applies to 124 different community college training programs at Virginia’s Community Colleges and is geared toward providing workforce credentials to participating students at one-third of their normal program cost.  The maximum value of each grant is $3,000, so a student who enrolls in and successfully completes a grant-eligible program that normally costs $4,500 will now pay only $1,500 and the grant will cover the remaining $3,000 of the cost.  Additional financial aid can offset that course even further.

 

VECAT’s partners at Germanna Community College have worked quickly to implement this grant so that funds are applicable to Material Certification School courses offered through the program.  At present, WCG funds are applicable to the following VECAT courses: Asphalt Field Level 1 and Asphalt Plant Level 1. All paperwork necessary to apply for grant funds is provided online when an individual registers for a WCG-Applicable class.  If you have questions about the program or its requirements prior to signing up, please contact VECAT Coordinator, Dave Laraway, or VAA Director of Training and Development, Carter Iseman.