Local group, Butler Tech team for adult learning grants
MIDDLETOWN — It’s often the high school students at Butler County’s career school system who get the spotlight — and a majority of the funding — but the latest edition of a grant program has Butler Tech and a Middletown group again combining to help adult learners in that city and beyond.
Through the Middletown Community Foundation’s Adult Learner Financial Assistance program, the group recently provided $30,000 in financial aid to 16 adult students at Butler Tech.
Butler Tech officials said the program funds scholarships to adults learning new career skills or job certifications with grants between $2,000 and $2,500 to help cover their learning costs.
According to a statement by Butler Tech officials, the annual funding program “has been essential for enabling students to enhance their skills and marketability in the workforce.”
The program supports a wide variety of certification programs such as Commercial Driver’s License Training, Licensed Practical Nursing and Industrial Maintenance Technology.
“The initiative has greatly contributed to promoting career development and lifelong learning among Butler Tech’s adult learners,” said officials.
The scholarships are not limited to Middletown adult learners at the Butler County career school system, which enrolls more than 18,000 students — most local high schoolers — including thousands of adult learners.
The foundation’s funding eligibility rules allow adult Butler Tech students from Franklin, Madison, Monroe and Trenton to also apply.
Among those recently chosen to for the scholarships is 31-year-old Trenton resident Richard Reed, who praised the program for helping him cover his career instruction in Industrial Maintenance Technology.
“Receiving this scholarship was a game changer for me,” said Reed, who recently took part in a Butler Tech ceremony for the spring announcement of the scholarship awards.
“It definitely encouraged me to pursue this opportunity and gave me a foot in the door. With this support, I feel more comfortable and confident in my path, and I’m learning so much more quickly than if I had taken a traditional fouryear route,” he said.
The Middletown Community Foundation has recently transitioned from a printable application process to an online system. This development not only simplifies the application process but also reflects the foundation’s commitment to adapting to the needs of today’s learners and as one of those, Reed said he appreciated the simplified application process.
To learn more about Butler Tech Adult Education or the Middletown Community Foundation Adult Learner Financial Assistance Program visit these links:Butler Tech Adult Education: https://www.butlertech.org/adult-education/ and https://mcfoundation. org/adult-learner-financial-assistance/.