Background
In the 2018-2019 academic year, nearly 400 Workforce Development Scholarships of $2,500 were awarded to students entering Minnesota State colleges as part of a pilot program funded by a $1 million appropriation from the Minnesota Legislature during the 2017 session. The scholarships were made available to new students entering associate degree, diploma, or certificate programs in high-demand sectors of Minnesota’s economy at any of the 30 Minnesota State community and technical colleges. The qualifying programs included advanced manufacturing, agriculture, health care, and information technology. The scholarships covered approximately half the cost of tuition and fees for the required credits.
Current
Hundreds of college-bound students across Minnesota now have the opportunity to be awarded workforce development scholarships worth $2,500 or more that will help them launch a career in a high-demand occupation in Minnesota. These scholarships were made possible by a $7 million appropriation from the Legislature after a successful pilot program stemming from the 2017 legislative session that initially awarded $1 million in scholarships in the 2018-2019 academic year. The scholarships are for students pursuing careers within advanced manufacturing, agriculture, health care services, information technology, early childhood education, and transportation at any of the 30 state colleges of Minnesota State.
“As I have traveled around the state, a theme that I consistently hear from employers is that Minnesota is facing a critical shortage of workers with the skills needed for high-demand occupations,” said Devinder Malhotra, chancellor of Minnesota State. “Workforce Development Scholarships have proven to be an effective tool for attracting students into these fields and helping them find a path towards a satisfying and well-paying career. We are grateful to the Legislature and the Governor for this opportunity, and we look forward to awarding these scholarships to help meet Minnesota’s workforce needs.”
Future
The legislation that came out of the 2019 legislative session substantially expands the $1 million pilot program by making $2 million available for FY2020 and a total of $6 million for FY2021. With the additional funding, the number of available scholarships will increase to an estimated 668 in FY2020. The legislation also expanded the program to include two additional programs of study: early childhood education and transportation. Also, the seven Minnesota State universities will be eligible to award scholarships for FY2021 to students who received scholarships from a Minnesota State college and transfer into a corresponding bachelor’s program.
Check out some of our systemwide stories below. Also, follow us on social media and reference #MinnStateWorkforce for additional campus stories...
- Minnesota State Announces 400 Scholarships for High Demand Sector Programs (January 23, 2018)
- MPMA Education Foundation Contributes $30,000 for Manufacturing Workforce Development Scholarships (January 23, 2018)
- Hundreds of $2,500 Scholarships Available Throughout Minnesota for Students Pursuing High Demand Careers (July 8, 2019)
- Hundreds of $2,500 scholarships available for Minnesota State students (Pioneer Press, July 8, 2019)
- Head of Minnesota State higher-ed system blitzes state, seeking students to train for high-demand jobs (Star Tribune, July 8, 2019)
Scholarships may still be available for Fall 2019. Interested students enrolled in eligible programs with a minimum of nine credits and have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher should contact the admissions or financial aid office at Minnesota State colleges to learn more about these or other scholarship and financial aid opportunities or contact Ask Us.
