Through a new grant funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, additional financial aid is available to New River Community College students seeking credentials in manufacturing, information technology or the health care field.
The financial aid comes from a DOL project called “Pathways to the American Dream,” which awarded $6 million to the New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Development Consortium Board in collaboration with the Southwest Virginia, Western Virginia, and West Piedmont workforce development boards.
The funding serves students that are within nine months of completing a “pathways” educational or training program that is linked to a credential leading to employment.
The funds support training for mid-level and higher-level jobs for underemployed, unemployed, and those who want to advance in their current job. The grant can provide up to $1,800 per person.
The jobs supported by this grant are based on labor needs in the New River Valley, such as registered nurses, computer network support specialists, machinists and others.
The program has already helped 31 NRCC students by providing funds for licensure testing, special uniforms for employment and other pre-employment requirements.
For questions about “Pathways to the American Dream,” contact Elizabeth Annis at 540-838-9360 or elizabeth.annis@nrmrwib.org. She is at NRCC on Tuesdays, on campus in Dublin in the morning and at the college’s NRV Mall site in Christiansburg in the afternoon.
Other community colleges receiving funding from the project include Danville, Mountain Empire, Patrick Henry, Southwest Virginia, Virginia Highlands, Virginia Western and Wytheville.
