Financial barriers are among the most common hurdles to accessing education. Earlier this year, a federal law was passed expanding Pell Grant eligibility to include short-term workforce training programs. It was also announced that the expansion of the Short-Term Workforce Development Grant would include registered apprentices who are actively participating in an apprenticeship and are enrolled in Workforce Continuing Education courses. By making these programs more accessible, North Carolinians are able to obtain jobs in high-demand fields like data science, engineering, healthcare, information technology and manufacturing.
In this episode of “The Connector,” IEI Director Sarah Hall and NC Community College System Associate VP of Workforce Strategies Dr. Andrew Gardner break down the significance of these funding opportunities for North Carolinians and the state’s community colleges, and how this helps drive progress toward the state’s workforce development and educational attainment goals.

The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina. To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.