A new awareness campaign by the state of Kentucky aims to highlight a scholarship program to help Kentuckians get an education and increase their employability.
Launched in 2017, the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarships have aimed to assist adults in Kentucky in obtaining an education to increase their employability.
The Work Ready Kentucky Scholarships, launched in 2017, lets Kentuckians, who haven’t received an associate degree or higher level of education, earn up to 60 credit hours tuition free.
There are over 350 course options available with the scholarship program, and certifications can be received in as little as four months, according to the program’s website. Participating colleges include the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) Campbellsville University, Galen College of Nursing, MedQuest College, Northern Kentucky University, Western Kentucky University, and Eastern Kentucky University University of Kentucky, Sullivan University,and University of the Cumberlands.
KCTCS Associate Director of Marketing Brittany Lippert said, “the goal of the scholarship was really to help boost educational attainment in specific areas where [Kentuckians] might be lacking somewhat.”
The scholarship applies only to “specific sectors,” she said, including advanced manufacturing, business and IT, construction, healthcare, and transportation and logistics.
It is available to Kentuckians with a high school diploma, students working on their GED, and anyone without an associate degree or higher. Prospective students will need to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before they can apply for the Work Ready scholarship.
Louisville rapper Brian Scott, who goes by the stage name B. Stille, created a song to help with the new awareness campaign. During a press conference with Beshear on Nov. 10, Scott told his story about how he never went to college so he could pursue music. He said his mom pleaded with him to go get a degree, and he promised to eventually. The artist recently went back and obtained his bachelor’s degree.
“I believe that education is the one thing that nobody can take away from you. The Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship program is amazing because it offers a lot of different skills sets and is tuition free, Scott said in the video. “If I can go back to school, anybody can do it.”
