HGTC Receives SC Workforce Scholarships for the Future
At a press conference on November 3, Governor Henry McMaster announced SC Workforce Scholarships for the Future. Dr. Tim Hardee, President of the SC Technical College System, and many Presidents of South Carolina Technical Colleges were in attendance.
Horry-Georgetown Technical College (HGTC) announced today that the South Carolina (SC) Governor’s Office is providing SC Workforce Scholarships for the Future to cover tuition and required fees for SC residents (adults and recent high school graduates) enrolled in high-demand career and technical training fields such as manufacturing, healthcare, computer science and information technology, culinary, teacher education, engineering, and construction. Funds are available for both credit and short-term training programs such as heavy equipment operator and commercial driver’s license (CDL). The scholarship will cover any tuition and required fees for HGTC students after all other scholarships or grants are applied.
“We are elated the Governor is setting aside funds to help our students and College. By covering the tuition and required fees, this is going to support students by reducing the financial burden of going to college. We will work with the Governor’s Office to administer the scholarships efficiently and effectively for the spring semester,” said Dr. Marilyn Murphy Fore, HGTC President.
The scholarship will cover any tuition and required fees after applying all other scholarships or grants. It will be implemented in two phases:
Phase One: Pilot Program
Who: All South Carolina citizens (adults and recent graduates) enrolled in a qualified program.
What: $17M provided from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief monies to cover tuition and required fees at one of South Carolina’s 16 technical colleges starting January 2022 until funds are exhausted. The scholarship will cover any tuition and required fees after applying all other scholarships or grants.
Phase Two: Comprehensive Program to Make Scholarship Permanent
Who: All South Carolina citizens (adults and recent high school graduates) enrolled in a qualified program.
What: Requesting that the General Assembly allocate $124M in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to cover tuition and required fees at one of the state’s 16 technical colleges for all South Carolinians from July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2024.
Benefits of the SC Workforce Scholarships for the Future include:
- Produces a highly skilled workforce for South Carolina business and industry.
- Reduces the cost of higher education in the Palmetto State.
- Lowers student loan debt for South Carolinians.
- Increases the percentage of citizens with a certificate, diploma, or degree to include recent high school graduates and adults.
- Increases accessibility to higher education in the state by having a campus available within 30 minutes.
- Allows for tuition assistance in non-credit credential programs such as commercial truck driving and forklift operation.
Student Responsibility
Credit-seeking students must maintain a 2.0 GPA. All participating students must complete one of the following requirements:
- be employed,
- take a financial literacy course offered at the technical college, or
- complete 100 hours of voluntary time contributing to a nonprofit or public service organization.