(INDIANAPOLIS) - Indiana officials are preparing for a new federal financial aid program that could help low-income Hoosiers pay for short-term workforce training programs instead of traditional college degrees.
The new Workforce Pell Grants are an expansion of the federal Pell Grant system, which currently helps students pay for college tuition and does not require repayment.
The grants were expanded through federal legislation last year to include certain short-term industry credential programs aimed at helping students enter the workforce more quickly.
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education says it is working with Ivy Tech Community College and Vincennes University as pilot institutions for the program.
Current proposed federal rules would limit the grants to credential programs lasting between eight and 14 weeks. Programs would also need to show that at least 70 percent of students complete training and secure employment within a year.
Indiana officials say the state is expected to prioritize programs tied to advanced manufacturing, construction trades, health and life sciences, information technology, business services, and transportation and logistics.
Students would need a high school diploma or equivalent and would still have to demonstrate financial need through the FAFSA application process.
The grants would not be available to current high school students pursuing credentials before graduation.
State officials say public comment on Indiana's Workforce Pell Grant plan could begin later this summer after federal rules are finalized and reviewed by Governor Mike Braun.
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education is also seeking renewed state support for outcomes-based performance funding for colleges and universities in Indiana's next budget cycle.