Anzhe Zhang

In a press statement earlier this month, Governor Steve Sisolak announced a pilot program through his Community College Workforce Training and Programs Committee that would ensure more community college and workforce training programs were free for students.

The Workforce Incentive Grant is specifically set up for students within the state who are ineligible for state scholarship opportunities due to a variety of factors, such as age or credit requirements, while also being designed for students seeking certification or degrees for what the state determines to be jobs in high-demand.

Previously, Gov. Sisolak had committed $5 million, drawn from the American Rescue Plan funds, with this very goal in mind, tasking the committee with drafting recommendations.

“I’m proud of the dedication of this committee to make community college and training programs free and available to more Nevadans – and figure out what works, and what doesn’t, for our communities,” noted Sisolak, who has stressed that a high school education isn’t enough, and that more training programs need to be available and free to ensure more career opportunities for students.

“This is only the start of the continued work in the State of Nevada to ensure that educational opportunities are affordable and available to Nevadans in need,” Sisolak said.

The Workforce Incentive Grant is the latest in the governor’s plan of spurring workforce development within Nevada, with the recently-created “Workforce Development subcabinet,” backed by leaders across the Department of Education, Economic Development, and more being dedicated towards this goal.