(The Center Square) — Tens of thousands of South Carolinians have earned a credential through a state program aimed at helping students earn a degree in a high-demand career field.
Officials said 32,426 South Carolinians have earned an industry credential through the Workforce Scholarships for the Future program, which formally launched in November 2021. It provides scholarships for adults or recent high school graduates to pursue an industry credential or associate degree in a high-demand career field, including healthcare, information technology and logistics, at one of South Carolina’s 16 technical colleges.
Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, has awarded $55.6 million in Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Funds to the state’s technical colleges. As of July 31, the schools have spent $44.3 million, which officials said averaged $1,367 per student.
State lawmakers allocated $93.7 million in the 2023-24 state budget for the program.
“Workforce Scholarships for the Future provide our people with the opportunity to learn the skills needed to take on these available, high-paying jobs and show current employers that South Carolina’s workforce is ready to adapt to their needs,” McMaster said in an announcement.
Scholarship students must keep a 2.0 GPA and either maintain employment, complete a financial literacy course at the technical college or volunteer 100 hours with a nonprofit or a public service organization.
