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Opportunity Grants open doors to college training

Governor signs bill to bring low-income students into high-demand careers

May 2, 2007

Olympia –Low-income students pursuing college training in high demand fields like aerospace, health care and biotechnology will benefit from Opportunity Grants available under House Bill 1096, sponsored by Rep. Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney (D-Seattle) and signed into law today by Gov. Christine Gregoire.

For students whose income is below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, Opportunity Grants will provide funding for college tuition and fees plus $1,000 per academic year for books, tools and supplies. Washington residents enrolled in community and technical colleges, private career schools and Washington State Training Council-approved apprenticeship programs will be eligible for the grants.

“Businesses are going through an increased demand for high-skilled workers and if they don’t find them here, they’re getting them out-of-state,” said Gutiérrez Kenney who chairs the House Community and Economic Development and Trade Committee. “We need to solve this gap and remain competitive by making sure all residents have access to postsecondary education so that more Washington workers can get these family-wage jobs.”

The new law benefits employers who are consistently in need of workers for jobs requiring mid-level skills. Surveys of these employers by the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board show that these employers will have 31,000 new job openings every year between 2009 and 2012 and will be looking for workers who have education beyond high school but less than a bachelor’s degree.

Under Gutiérrez Kenney’s bill, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges will identify high demand training programs eligible for Opportunity Grant support. In the pilot program operated at ten colleges last year by the SBCTC more than 400 students received grants not only for tuition and fees, but also to meet other needs like rent assistance or a single mother’s purchase of a computer allowing her to keep up with her course work while taking care of a toddler at home.

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Lilia P. Nieto, Communications Specialist, (360) 786-7375, nieto-torres.lilia@leg.wa.gov

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