Pearl River Community College seeks Pell eligibility for short term job training

For people looking to change careers, the cost of training can be a barrier.

Now, Mississippi’s community colleges are getting $8.5 million in federal funding to prepare more job training programs for Pell Grants, financial aid that helps eligible students pay for education.

Bibhas Pantha with the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center explains what that could mean for students.

Travis Edwards spent eight years working as a regional supervisor for a roofing construction company.

But when business slowed and a baby was on the way, he needed a new way to support his family.

He enrolled in Pearl River Community College’s commercial truck driving program, hoping to find work without leaving the area. “I needed a new career path that I could quickly get into that met a minimum pay requirement. And this was one of the very few things that kept me local.”

But changing careers came with a financial burden.

Edwards says he was unemployed while attending classes and had to sell assets to cover his expenses.

He says financial aid could have helped him make the move sooner. “I would have done it earlier. It would have put me less in a financial bind, and I would not have had to sell off assets.”

Pearl River Community College is now working to make that kind of assistance available to future students.

The college plans to seek Workforce Pell eligibility for its welding, commercial truck driving and emergency medical technician programs.

Rebecca Ellis is PRCC’s dean of workforce, economic development and adult education.

She says up to 40 students a year could benefit if the programs are approved. “Every single dollar could make the difference between whether somebody is able to enroll or not enroll, and for that reason, this could be tremendous for students.”

But students won’t be able to use that aid right away. The programs still need state and federal approval.

The $8.5 million grant will help Mississippi’s community colleges prepare their training programs and build the systems needed to qualify.

Ellis said the approval process could take up to three years.

In the meantime, PRCC offers other financial assistance options, including workforce innovation and opportunity act funding for qualifying students.