Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship Provides Free Tuition for Many Madisonville Community College Programs

Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Secretary Hal Heiner announced details on May 24 about the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship (WRKS), which will help thousands of Kentuckians become more marketable in the workplace. The scholarship provides free tuition for programs in five fields that are considered high-wage, high-demand in Kentucky. Those fields are health care, advanced manufacturing, transportation/logistics, business services/information technology and construction/trades.

Anyone who has not yet earned a college degree of any type is eligible for the free tuition for a certificate or diploma in one of the five fields. There are no income or age limits to qualify. The only educational requirement to apply is a high school diploma or GED. KCTCS students in the Accelerating Opportunity Kentucky (AOKY) program also are eligible. AOKY allows students to earn a GED while also taking college courses.

Madisonville Community College (MCC) offers numerous programs in the fields eligible for the WRKS. Within the five areas, there are more than 80 associated certificates and diplomas offered at MCC which qualified for WRKS.  Credentials are available in fields such as computer technician, welding, office systems, emergency medical technician, industrial refrigeration, child care provider, as well as several health care options.

“If people want to get a good job or improve their skills to get a better job, they should look into the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship,” said MCC President Dr. Cindy Kelley. “Not everyone wants or needs a bachelor’s degree, so this is a great opportunity for people who want to get in, get out and get to work quickly.”

Information about all programs eligible for the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship can be found at workreadykentucky.com. The scholarship will be administered by the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) and students must file a Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA) before applying for the WRKS. The FAFSA form is available at www.fafsa.gov and the WRKS application can be found at www.kheaa.com.

For additional questions or information, call Aimee Wilkerson at (270) 824-8696.