Kaine: Pell Grants should apply to workforce training
Advanced jobs training would be put on an equal footing with traditional college courses under a new Pell Grant bill backed by U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va.
Kaine, a co-founder of the Senate Career and Technical Education Caucus, is aiming to expand the federal program and cover students enrolled in short-term industry certification programs.
Currently, Pell Grants are only available for courses that are at least 15 weeks long — the length of an average college semester.
Kaine’s bill would lower that threshold to eight weeks provided the student is earning a professional credential in a field needed in the local workforce.
“There are a lot of these types of jobs that are going unfilled in today’s economy,” said Kaine, adding current grant restrictions were built on an outdated model focused on the pursuit of a college degree.
“This is a way of recognizing the new reality of the workforce and the new reality of how course work is put together,” he said. “It’s about making sure that Pell Grants are really serving students who could find these courses to be economically valuable.”
Kaine’s bill, named the Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act, was introduced at the end of July and gained a Republican co-sponsor, Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire.
It was quickly endorsed by the head of the Virginia Community College System. Virginia expects to have 1.4 million jobs to fill between now and 2022.
Of those, as many as two-thirds are projected to be “middle-skill” jobs, which require an education beyond high school but not a four-year degree.
“There’s a need out there for these skills,” said Kaine, adding that translates to a need for more “short-term, intense but valuable” job training courses.
Locally, Virginia Western Community College offers three workforce training courses that would fit the expanded grant criteria proposed by Kaine.
The courses provide certification in fields like advanced manufacturing and medical billing. New River Community College doesn’t expect any of its current programs would qualify for the expanded grant.
Pell Grants provide need-based aid for low-income and working students. Unlike loans, they don’t have to be repaid.
The program is currently running a surplus, but future funding for it is uncertain. Congress has advanced proposals to cut or freeze support levels as a part of a larger plan to achieve a balanced budget.
Kaine, a member of the Senate budget committee, said funding across all programs remains a challenge that Congress will continue to debate next month as it approaches a Sept. 30 deadline to pass a new appropriations deal.
But he added Pell Grants, from a policy perspective, continue to enjoy deep political support.
“I think this is going to be a bill that is likely to pick up some strong bipartisan support,” he said. “I think our chances of passing it are high, but we do still have to separately tackle this budget.”
The Senate just adjourned for a five-week summer recess. The budget is among the issues waiting to be addressed when it reconvenes next month, along with the Iran nuclear deal, which Kaine supports.
The possibility of a government shutdown has been raised by factions in the GOP looking to defund Planned Parenthood, though Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has rebuffed that idea.
Kaine said no Democrats in either chamber are considering that route. “We will fight against a shutdown tooth and nail, I can say that for sure,” he said.
