Commerce City program tests demand for new Workforce Pell grants
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Commerce City, Colorado, launched a program last year offering residents free workforce training in fields like healthcare and manufacturing, using $7.5 million in federal pandemic relief funds.
Natalia Antezana of Elevate Commerce reported that residents eagerly signed up for the short-term courses offered through the Community College of Aurora. So far, approximately 120 students are participating in six programs lasting from four weeks to several months.
The Commerce City Promise program is giving officials insight into how to implement Workforce Pell, a new federal program allowing students to use Pell Grants for short-term training. City officials surveyed residents in 2023 and allocated around $500,000 of the relief funds to education as a way to support economic growth. Several organizations partnered to make the program a success.
Rocky Mountain Partnership Cradle to Career analyzed labor market data, the Chamber of Commerce connected the city with businesses, and Adams County School District 14 provided classroom space. Jim DeLung of the Community College of Aurora believes the collaboration needed for Commerce City Promise will be essential for the Workforce Pell program, which is projected to fund about 187,000 students nationally each year with an average award of $2,200.
Colorado must now determine which programs meet the requirements for funding, including accreditation and demonstrated job placement rates. The college is tracking job placement rates of Commerce City Promise graduates to inform future program development.
