NEWS RELEASE
DEDO Announces Education Grants
Programs to Assist Working and Unemployed Residents
DOVER, Del. (Sept. 22, 2009) - The Delaware Economic Development Office and the Delaware
Higher Education Commission are pleased to announce two education grants are available to Delaware
residents, the Governor's Education Grant for Working Adults and the Governor's Education Grant for
Unemployed Workers.
"A talented workforce is critical to Delaware's economic future. Workers need to have the skills
necessary to compete in the job market, and businesses need to be able to hire talented employees.
These programs offer valuable training to Delaware residents with the goal of increasing education and
training opportunities and developing a skilled workforce," said Governor Jack Markell. "It's just one
example of the work we're doing to attract companies and grow our economy."
The Governor's Education Grant for Unemployed Workers is designed to assist those individuals who
have lost their jobs due to the current economic climate and have been unsuccessful in obtaining
employment within their current career field/ occupation. It helps qualified individuals with training
costs associated with learning a new skill or upgrading their current one.
In order to qualify, individuals must be registered with the Department of Labor's Office of
Employment and Training and have been actively seeking employment for a minimum of 90 days
within the period of January 2009 - December 2010. Once the Office of Employment and Training's
Career counselor has assessed eligibility, the individual will be directed to DHEC for final approval.
The Governor's Education Grant for Working Adults, previously known as the Governor's Workforce
Development Grant, is designed to assist underemployed working adults improve their skills and
education in their current career fields and/or new occupations. Qualified participants must be at least
18, a high school graduate or GED recipient, a resident of Delaware and a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen.
Participants must enroll in an approved institution for non-credit adult education classes, or
part-time enrollment in undergraduate college classes with a course load of 11 credits or less.
The grants are funded by DEDO's Blue Collar Training Program and administered by the DHEC.
DEDO has awarded up to $100,000 of Blue Collar Funding for the education grants.
The maximum grant per participant is $2,000 for one academic year (July 1 through June 30). Grant
recipients are required to attend an approved Delaware educational institution and agree to release grades and academic progress to DHEC. Successful completion of coursework will be considered if the
recipient receives a passing grade of C or GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Schools participating in the Governor's Education Grant for Working Adults and/or Unemployed
Workers are limited to Delaware-based institutions. These institutions have agreed to reduce tuition
and fees by 10 percent for eligible participants.
For the list of participating Adult Education Centers and Colleges as well as additional financial aid
opportunities, please visit DHEC's Web site at www.doe.k12.de.us/dhec. Click on the link for financial
aid.
About the Delaware Economic Development Office
The Delaware Economic Development Office is an executive state of Delaware agency responsible for attracting new investors and businesses to the state, promoting the expansion of existing industry, assisting small and minority-owned businesses, promoting and developing tourism and creating new and improved employment opportunities for all citizens of the State. DEDO is a Certified Economic Development Organization, accredited by the International Economic Development Council. Visit dedo.delaware.gov.
Contact:
Nikki Boone, Communications Manager
Delaware Economic Development Office
nikki.boone@state.de.us
302-672-6857/p>
