02/04/2020- A bill co-authored by a lawmaker from our area would bring new opportunity for advancement for some of Wisconsin’s workforce. The Career Advancement Scholarship bill introduced by Representatives John Nygren and Janet Billings creates a scholarship program to help residents age 25 and older return to higher education to complete a postsecondary degree. Nygren says with record-low unemployment, the Badger State should be doing all that it can to maximize the number of individuals who are available to fill job openings, and this bill addresses the changing needs of today’s workforce.
Nygren says the need for advanced skills training is especially apparent in the manufacturing sector, but the scholarships are available for workers in any industry. It could fund up to fifty-percent of a person’s unmet financial need to complete an accredited degree or certificate program.
The bill calls for an initial state investment of one-point-two-five-million dollars in scholarship funds. The legislation was unanimously passed out of the Assembly Committee on Colleges and Universities last week and now heads to the Assembly for a full vote.