[NFB-Idaho] More funding for higher education

[Kevin Pirnie]

[image: Idaho Office of the Governor]
>From the Desk of the Governor

October 6, 2023
*Idaho LAUNCH Grant Program IS LIVE!* [image: Idaho LAUNCH live]
The Idaho LAUNCH program is helping students take their future to the NEXT
LEVEL with up to $8000 in grants for in-demand career training!
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Excerpts from my Op-Ed on why LAUNCH is a game changer for our young
Idahoans -

*"**Our young Idahoans hold so much promise and potential, and we want to
do all we can to get them to stay in Idaho and thrive in Idaho.*

*Yet, the jobs of today demand specialized skill sets that require
education and training after high school.*

*Simply put, for the vast majority of Idahoans, high school isn’t enough.*

*But the cost and accessibility of those programs after high school stand
in the way for too many young Idahoans.*

*LAUNCH will help.*

*Our new LAUNCH grants will cover 80 percent of the cost of an in-state
program that leads to an in-demand career, up to $8,000.*

*There are hundreds of career paths and programs to choose from, and if
they are still weighing their options, they can update their choices later.*

*LAUNCH is live and open for applications now
at https://nextsteps.idaho.gov/launch
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*If you’re a high school senior or the parent of a high school senior, do
not delay in applying for a LAUNCH grant. There is only enough money to
offer grants to half of Idaho’s high school seniors, and some of the most
popular programs will fill up quickly.*

*Idaho has always supported scholarships for high school graduates to
pursue traditional four-year university programs.*

*That’s important, but we recognized the need to support all paths – from
nursing to welding to computer science to plumbing to teaching to animal
science to trucking and everything in between. LAUNCH can be used for
apprenticeships, job training, and community college as well as university
programs.*

*The hundreds of LAUNCH career paths available are market-driven – these
are “real world” jobs our employers desperately need to fill.*

*So, what is the answer to high school seniors and their parents asking the
question, “What’s next?”*

*LAUNCH!"*
*IDAHO LAUNCH*
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*WATCH: **Education Grant Program Idaho LAUNCH Takes Flight* [image: Idaho
LAUNCH KTEC]
I traveled around the state this week to raise awareness of the Idaho
LAUNCH grant program - a game changing investment in young Idahoans and our
future workforce.  We want young Idahoans to have the skills they need to
excel in their future careers. Idaho LAUNCH grants will help them do it.
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*"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.*

*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.*

*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."*
*WATCH THE STORY*
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