Governor Katie Hobbs announced the launch of the Arizona Community College Workforce Scholarship Program in partnership with the state’s ten community college districts. The initiative is designed to boost Arizonans’ access to higher education credentials, degrees or skills that lead to employment in high-growth sectors.
With an initial allocation of $4.5 million in EANS federal funding, the program aims to support 9,000 to 10,000 students, including working adults, in upgrading their skills or retraining for new careers during the upcoming summer and fall semesters. The state’s Achieve60AZ education attainment goal, which seeks to increase the number of residents with postsecondary credentials, is a key motivator for this scholarship initiative.
The scholarships will focus on sectors identified as high-wage and high-growth, including healthcare, IT, cybersecurity, broadband, data analytics, education, defense, and various trades such as construction and HVAC. These fields were chosen to align with state and local industry needs identified by each participating community college.
Eligible students must have a GPA of 2.0 or higher, meet with an academic advisor regularly, qualify for in-state tuition, and be enrolled in relevant programs that prepare them for careers in these critical sectors.
Participating institutions include Arizona Western College, Central Arizona College, Cochise College, Coconino Community College, Eastern Arizona College, Maricopa Community Colleges, Mohave Community College, Northland Pioneer College, Pima Community College, and Yavapai College.
Collectively, Arizona Community Colleges serve 250,000 students annually.
For more details about the scholarship program, contact the financial aid office at Cochise College or visit the college’s website at www.cochise.edu/fa.
