Grant from US Department of Labor allows Grand Rapids Community College to support and prepare students for careers
The grant comes from the Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grant initiative in the amount of $5.5 million. This is the second such grant the college has received.
Grand Rapids Community College has received a $5.5 million grant from the US Department of Labor’s Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grant initiative. The grant is intended to help the school support students academically and prepare them to enter careers with wages that will sustain families.
According to an article on Grand Rapids Community College’s website, Dr. Charles Lepper, who serves as the president of GRCC, was quoted as saying of the grant, “The work this grant will cover is tied directly to the Right Place’s Tech strategy. It will allow us and our partners to achieve and sustain five systems changes—employer engagement in the tech sector, a decentralized career services model, expansion of credit for prior learning protocols, expanding options for students in tech career pathways, and flexible instruction with optimized course scheduling.”
The funding will provide numerous benefits to Grand Rapids Community College and its students. The school will use it to work toward removing barriers to entry into higher education, provide students with academic support, and help students work toward well-paying careers. Part of the funding will go toward implementing new programs, certificates, and degrees that align with well-paying jobs, such as Communications and Broadband Installation, Data Science, and AI and Automation. It will also allow Grand Rapids Community College to provide more work experience opportunities in the tech industry, and it will provide the opportunity for GRCC to work with West Michigan Works! in order to identify the needs of the local workforce and implement that knowledge into its offerings.
U.S. Senator Gary Peters, who helped support the grant program, was quoted as saying, “Michigan’s community colleges play an important role in building a talent pipeline for the good paying jobs that can be found across our state. I was proud to support funding for this grant program, which will allow Grand Rapids Community College to strengthen its workforce development programs and help prepare students for in-demand careers.”
U.S. Representative Carol Glanville also commented, saying, “GRCC continues to set the bar for career path training and education. This 5.5 million dollar federal investment speaks to the quality programming they provide. From skilled labor to advanced manufacturing, culinary arts, information systems, healthcare, and childcare, they have created intentional partnerships to help fill the talent needs of our region, connecting students to high-demand, good-paying jobs. This grant, combined with state-sponsored programs such as Michigan Reconnect and the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and the $16.8M capital investment, serve as catalysts to support GRCC in their work to help achieve the state’s goal for 60% of adults to have a professional certificate or degree by 2030.”
For more information about Grand Rapids Community College, visit the school’s website.