State officials say more than 60,000 residents have applied to Michigan’s new free tuition program for frontline workers.
The program would cover a two-year associate’s degree for workers who were required by their job to leave the house and who worked at least 11 weeks in the spring during the pandemic. That includes grocery workers, gas station clerks, and sanitation workers so long as they don’t already have an associate’s degree or aren’t defaulting on a federal loan.
Kerry Ebersole heads the state’s Sixty by 30 program, which aims to increase the number of residents with post-secondary certificates to 60% by 2030.
“The 60,000 plus applicants come from around the state. This proves that there is a thirst to continue their education, to obtain new skills that can be applied to high demand jobs.”
Ebersole said the interest in the program is a great sign.
“We’re ecstatic. We think outside of seeing the demand by individuals to continue their education there is a huge demand in our businesses to see a highly-skilled workforce.”
Michigan is putting roughly $24-million of CARES Act funding towards the Futures for Frontliners program.
College advocacy groups have warned that less than half of community college attendees graduate or transfer to a four-year college. They say the state needs to do more to ensure enrollees have transportation and childcare.
On average, just 46% of community college students in Michigan graduate or transfer within a five year period. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 48% of students enrolled at community colleges transfer or graduate within a three year period nationally.
Ebersole said the state will work to ensure that students have the supports that they need.
“We’re going to look to, as much as we can, address those barriers. Coordinating with existing programs that maybe the community college provides to make sure these individuals can complete their degree or certificate.”
The state also announced $30-million for the Michigan Reconnect Program as part of recent budget negotiations.
That program will offer free community college tuition to residents older than 25 looking to earn a certificate or associate’s degree.