By Holly Desrosier
Craven Community College (Craven CC) was recently awarded $220,973 from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund. These funds, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, are to be utilized by Sept. 30, 2022, and will go toward scholarships for eligible students.
“These funds will open up a world of opportunities for our students and local businesses,” said Robin Matthews, Craven CC dean of Workforce Development. “This is going to help so many people who have lost jobs and suffered financially due to the pandemic.”
The GEER Fund is part of the GEER Scholarship Program to provide local educational agencies, institutions of higher education and other education-related entities with emergency assistance for issues resulting from COVID-19. This program provides scholarships for eligible community college students who are in workforce continuing education and pursuing high demand workforce training programs within 10 pathways that lead to a state or industry-recognized credential.
The pathways include Automotive, Aircraft Maintenance, Construction, Criminal Justice, Emergency Medical Services, Fire and Rescue Services, Healthcare, Industrial/Manufacturing, Information Technology and Transportation.
Scholarships are awarded based on student need, local industry needs, number of eligible students and cost of the course, up to a maximum of either $750 per course or the cost of course fees if it exceeds $750. Scholarships help cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, supplies, credentialing tests, transportation, childcare and other components as deemed necessary.
The funds must be used toward courses that lead to certifications which are 96 hours or longer in duration. Current eligible courses at Craven CC include CDL, Welding, Carpentry, Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing, NCCER Core, FAA Airframe and Powerplant, EMT Basic, EMT Paramedic, CNA 1 and/or CNA 2, Phlebotomy, Central Sterile Technician, Cardiographic/EKG Technician and Pharmacy Technician.
“All of these programs are taught by instructors who are experts in their respective fields,” said Matthews. “Students will get hands-on training from highly trained instructors and gain experience to go back out into the workforce in a high demand field.”
Anyone interested must submit a completed GEER application to the college’s Financial Aid office in Barker Hall on the New Bern campus, or the Workforce Development (WFD) department in the Brock Administration building. Applications may be obtained from the WFD department.
For questions or more information, contact the college’s WFD department at 252-638-7248.
This article was originally published in the New Bern Sun Journal on September 23, 2020.