PASCO COUNTY — Federal funds are in place at Pasco-Hernando State College to help students impacted by COVID-19.
The rapid credentialing program can get a student certified in high demand industries in as little as 7-weeks.
“The funding is there to help offset the cost they’ve lost their job they need to either get trained again or retrained in a different area or upskilled,” Dean of Workforce at Pasco-Hernando State College, Marcia Austin said. “You generally don’t get funding in this area.”
In order to qualify, students must have been enrolled at the college in the Spring 2020 semester. Austin said it is a great opportunity for students to re-think their career goals.
“We are focusing on high demand industry and so we offer courses in the area of IT, manufacturing, health science, welding is one of our very popular ones also we have business programs finance,” Austin said. “One that is also surprisingly in high demand is management in the area of real estate, apartment maintenance management, as well and unmanned vehicle training.”
The college said the short-term, remote, and online courses, were developed to provide technical training that directly responds to current industry demands, as well as offering an accelerated pathway to high-wage careers, or career advancement. Tuition funding is available to qualified students through the PHSC Rapid Credential Scholarship for most classes on a first-come, first-serve basis.
“When you consider the traditional route it takes about 2 to 3 years for students to complete your training and not everyone had the opportunity to do that,” Austin said.
For more information on the CARES Act Student Emergency funds click here.
