PHEAA Program Supports Job Training Efforts
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency recently unveiled a new grant program that provides financial aid to students who participate in job training courses in targeted industries. Students participating in more than 70 different programs of study in some of Pennsylvania’s most important career fields are now eligible for grants as part of the new program.
Under the Pennsylvania Targeted Industry Program (PA-TIP), students who are interested in training for careers in the energy, manufacturing, agriculture or food production fields may be eligible for grant aid. The program is designed to assist students enrolled in job training programs that are not eligible for Pennsylvania State Grants, including many technical and vocational schools and community colleges.
Applications and more information, including a list of all courses of study covered by the program and a list of approved participating schools, are available online at www.PHEAA.org/PA-TIP.
Applicants must be Pennsylvania residents who are enrolled full-time in an approved course of study of more than 10 weeks and less than two academic years in length. Applicants must also have a high school diploma, GED or recognized home school certificate and demonstrate financial need. A Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must also be completed for the award year for which PA-TIP funds are being requested.
PA-TIP provides grants of up to the equivalent of the maximum State Grant ($4,348) award or 75 percent of a student’s allowable cost, whichever is less. Awards can be used to cover costs such as tuition, fees, books, supplies and some living expenses. The new program is administered by PHEAA with funding provided from business earnings, with no additional support from taxpayers.
Job training courses are growing in popularity due to the recent recession, and this new program offers a valuable incentive for students who are interested in careers in some of the most important sectors of our state’s economy. Applications will be accepted for PA-TIP until April 1, 2013, or until all funding for the program has been exhausted. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so I encourage local residents who are interested in this program to learn more about the program and fill out an application as soon as possible.