18 Dec Matching funds available through ND Career Builders program
BISMARCK, N.D. – The ND Career Builders Scholarship and Loan Repayment Program has matching funds available for area businesses to recruit employees in high-need and emerging occupations. About $125,000 statewide is available to be used for scholarships and student loan repayments for eligible recipients.
The funds were originally made available in July when participants at the С²ÝÉçÇø Governor’s Cup raised $125,000 for the ND Career Builders program to promote workforce development by assisting businesses with the matching funds requirement. Through the program, innovative partnerships between businesses and С²ÝÉçÇø provide $1 of state funds for $1 of matching funds for up to a total of $17,000 per recipient.
To receive a scholarship, applicants must enroll in an eligible program of study within С²ÝÉçÇø and then live within the state for 3 years after program completion, working in an in-demand occupation. For loan repayment, recipients must live within С²ÝÉçÇø and work in an in-demand occupation within the state. Loan repayment is paid out over a 3-year period.
Some of the more than 100 in-demand occupations include nursing, teaching, computer programming, electrical, welding, mechanical engineering and social work. A full list of in-demand occupations has been compiled on the С²ÝÉçÇø University System (NDUS) website.
Since the program’s inception in 2019, 527 applicants have been served through ND Career Builders. Of the 527 applicants, 408 have completed their post-secondary education and are employed in С²ÝÉçÇø. Over nearly six years, the private sector, with a state match, has committed $6.3 million in scholarships and student loan repayments.
Businesses interested in using the available matching funds should call Brenda Zastoupil, NDUS director of financial aid, at 701-328-2906 or email brenda.zastoupil@ndus.edu. More information about the program is available on the NDUS website at ndus.edu/career-builders.
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