$1.5 Million State Grant to Help Vermonters Gain Skills for Career Growth
Vermont Business Magazine Thanks to a third year of state funding via H.484, Section 17, an act relating to enhancing workforce and economic development opportunities, the University of Vermont will be offering up to two free courses to eligible Vermont residents seeking education and skills for professional growth or employment, with new course additions in the healthcare field. From August 2023 - June 2024, the UVM Upskill Vermont Scholarship Program will offer free academic learning opportunities in business, education & social work, food & agriculture, healthcare, and STEM, while funds last. The program is backed by a $1.5 million state grant.
“Students from all of Vermont’s 14 counties participated in courses made accessible by Upskill over the last two years, learning new skills needed to meet the qualifications for desirable jobs,” says Dr. Jill Irvine, Chief Officer of Professional and Continuing Education (PACE). “This year we are particularly excited to add course opportunities for Vermonters that will address the medical staffing shortage through accessible, on-demand certifications in Behavior Technician Specialist, Patient Care Technician, and Medical Laboratory Assistant.”
Managed by the University’s division of Professional and Continued Education (PACE), eligible Vermonters can choose one course per semester or in the summer which can result in college credit or a non-credit professional certificate. A sampling of non-credit certificates offered include Project Management Practices, Digital Marketing Fundamentals, Emotional Intelligence and Leadership, Integrative Health and Wellness Coaching, and Cannabis Plant and Biology Professional program.
Credit courses include opportunities such as Introduction and Advanced Geographical Information Systems, Computer Software Certification, Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical program, and Resiliency-based and Trauma-informed Practices.
“The digital marketing course helped me grow in my existing career and hone in on my practical and management skills that will better position me for advancement,” said Glenn Kirby, UVM Upskill student who completed the Digital Marketing Fundamentals certificate.
In 2022, 342 Vermonters enrolled in the scholarship between both credit and non-credit courses, taking a total of 423 courses. Of those Upskill Vermont Scholarship recipients, 137 represented companies across the state. The majority were employed full-time with less than four years of work experience and 45% of recipients took courses with the goal of changing careers.
“The professors and the teachers of the classes were sensitive to the fact that they were working with a very diverse population of students with different backgrounds,” shared Katharine Long, UVM Upskill Vermont student in Data Visualization, Leadership, and Project Management courses. “They were accommodating in terms of the project design and teaching to those different levels.”
Vermonters can check eligibility requirements to apply for the scholarship at upskillvermont.org. Those who qualify will be able to take up to two free education and training courses, one per semester.
Registration is expected to open on August 1, 2023; however, Upskill Vermont email subscribers will receive advance notice of course openings. Vermonters are encouraged to join the Upskill email list found at upskillvermont.org.
About UVM Professional and Continuing Education (PACE)
UVM Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) provides accessible, high-quality educational experiences for lifelong success. Through collaborations with UVM’s various colleges and schools and professional development opportunities with industry experts, practitioners, and partners UVM PACE offers courses and programs that meet the evolving needs of today’s students. See the full course and program selections at learn.uvm.edu.
About the University of Vermont
Since 1791, the University of Vermont has worked to move humankind forward. UVM’s strengths align with the most pressing needs of our time: the health of our societies and the health of our environment. Our size—large enough to offer a breadth of ideas, resources, and opportunities, yet intimate enough to enable close faculty-student mentorship across all levels of study—allows us to pursue these interconnected issues through cross-disciplinary research and collaboration. Providing an unparalleled educational experience for our students, and ensuring their success, are at the core of what we do. As one of the nation’s first land grant universities, UVM advances Vermont and the broader society through the discovery and application of new knowledge.
UVM is derived from the Latin Universitas Viridis Montis (in English, University of the Green Mountains).
Source: 7.20.2023. BURLINGTON, Vt. - UVM
