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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College recently received just over $188,000 from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund to help local residents obtain job training. 

The GEER Fund, created as part of the federal CARES Act, will provide scholarships for eligible VGCC continuing education students pursuing short-term workforce training programs within certain pathways that will lead to state or industry-recognized credentials. Students can receive up to $750 in assistance per course. Scholarships can potentially help cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, supplies, credentialing tests, transportation, or childcare. 

At VGCC, the eligible pathways include the following programs: 

• Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET), 
• BioWork Process Technician,
• Electronic Health Records,
• EMT-Basic,
• EMT-Paramedic,
• Heavy Equipment Operator,
• Healthcare Billing and Coding,
• HVAC – Cooling,
• HVAC – Refrigeration,
• Introduction to Welding,
• Nurse Aide, Levels 1 and 2,
• Phlebotomy,
• Production Tech, and
• Truck Driver Training.

VGCC officials may add more programs to the list, based on local workforce needs.

“We are excited about the opportunities that the GEER Fund will open up for many students, especially those who have lost their jobs and suffered financially due to the pandemic,” said Dr. Jerry Edmonds, vice president of Workforce Development and Community Engagement for VGCC. “There are jobs available and many employers need talented workers, so now is a great time to retrain and gain new skills, so that you can prepare for a new career or advance in your chosen field.”

Governor Roy Cooper announced the initial allocations of North Carolina’s GEER Fund in August. At that time, Bill Carver, the interim President of the North Carolina Community College System, said, “North Carolina Community Colleges are uniquely positioned to offer short term workforce preparation to assist in the State’s economic recovery. This funding will be used for targeted programs providing cost-effective, high-quality opportunities for North Carolinians wanting credentials leading to career advancement.” 

For more information, contact Dawn Michelle Tucker, Dean of Continuing Education & College + Career Readiness, at (252) 738-3288 or tuckerd@vgcc.edu.