BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho LAUNCH program, which opened applications Tuesday, October 3, is set to provide graduating high school students in the class of 2024 with up to $8,000 in state-funded grants. The scholarships will cover 80% of tuition and fees at Idaho colleges and technical schools for students pursuing degrees and certifications in fields designated as "in-demand" by the state of Idaho's Workforce Development Council.
Governor Brad Little has worked on the project since the very beginning, he and Idaho lawmakers came together to make compromises on the final version. Little says he is pleased with the end result.
"We're encouraging everybody to sign up so they can get into the queue," said Little said. "It will make it to where we've got more auto technicians. We've got more welders. We've got more heavy equipment operators. We've got more healthcare workers. All of those are in-demand careers, and we want our kids to stay here."
To qualify, students must graduate from an Idaho high school, home school, or GED program in 2024, be an Idaho resident, enroll in a qualifying Idaho institution, and start their education the fall after graduation. As part of the application, students must complete a Career Pathway Plan detailing their chosen field of study and career goals.
"We know the number one area is health care nurse practitioners, nurses, seniors, physicians assistants, pharmacy techs. That's going to be and that's all over the state of Idaho. In the Magic Valley, Food processing up here. A lot of those jobs are going to be relative to the expansion that Micron's going to take place. They absolutely have to have a a technical workforce that understands the very sophisticated equipment that's going to be in that world class facility," Little said.
The list of approved in-demand careers contains hundreds of jobs across sectors like healthcare, manufacturing, information technology, and skilled trades. Top fields include nursing, pharmacy technicians, welding, automotive technology, and food processing.
"It's going to be almost on the same relative affordability as it was when I went to school. It's just gotten more and more expensive. The intent of just making it to where our Idaho kids can stay in Idaho and have good careers, we're all the way there," Little said. And I you know, my issues. I want those kids to be masters of their own destiny and having that kind of an opportunity. "
Governor Little said the goal of the program is to encourage Idaho students to remain in the state after high school and promote attainment of needed career skills. The launch represents a major state investment in workforce development, with $80 million allotted for the initiative.
"I hope what I hear is from parents and students this gives us hope that we didn't have before. This gives us that opportunity for us to be masters of our own destiny. And we want those kids to choose a field that is going to give them self-satisfaction, that's going to create an opportunity for them to stay here, raise their families here, and comfortably retire right here in the Gem State," Little said.
Applications for Idaho LAUNCH opened October 3 at launch.idaho.gov. The program is open to 2024 Idaho high school graduates pursuing qualifying career pathways at Idaho colleges and technical schools.
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