What is FAST?
FAST stands for Focus on Alternative Skills Training. This program provides up to $10,000 to recent Delaware high school graduates to enroll in a non-college program that provides industry-accepted skills training and certification in areas defined by the Workforce Development Board, which is tasked with connecting Delawareans with occupational training and employment service opportunities.
The funding covers the cost of the program, after any scholarships or employer assistance, up to the $10,000 cap per student, and would have many of the same entry requirements of the existing SEED program, including residency requirements, and any other requirements instituted by the Workforce Development Board.
Why FAST??
Graduating Delaware high school students are provided with many options here in the First State. There are many scholarship programs, and virtually any senior graduating in good standing can attend a two year Associate's Degree program at Delaware Tech with the SEED program or a full four years of Delaware State University with the INSPIRE program. Giving our students a boost into the world of college has long been a priority for our state government.
There are many in-demand careers that do not require a college degree, however, and Delaware has not provided the same boost to those students. Until now.
The FAST (Focus on Alternative Skills Training) Program is a newly-created program from State Senator Brian Pettyjohn that provides up to $10,000 for students to complete an approved non-degree program which provides a marketable skill. Examples of these programs might include coding schools, information technology credential programs, nursing school, or building trades apprenticeships, among others.
Through the FAST program, we are helping provide Delaware's young people with a ticket to a well-paying job without the time commitment or significant student debt that some college programs require. And in doing so, we widen the scope of options for our graduates, meaning that all high school students will have the opportunity to pursue their dreams.
The benefits of the FAST program for Delaware's employers are significant, as we expand the talent pipeline and help steer Delaware graduates toward fields that are in demand. This way, FAST graduates leave their programs, and walk right into a good job.
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