LANSING — Through the Futures for Frontliners scholarship program, over 80,000 Michiganders have taken a step forward toward learning new skills by applying for free tuition to attend community college on their path to high-demand, higher-wage careers.

Futures for Frontliners, an initiative to thank essential workers and help Michigan meet the Sixty by 30 goal, provides increased opportunity for essential workers to earn a postsecondary credential, even if they need to first pursue high school completion, on their way to opportunities for better jobs and bigger paychecks.

“Futures for Frontliners has offered the opportunity for Michiganders, who have put themselves in harm’s way early in the pandemic, to pursue their dreams,” Kerry Ebersole, Director of Sixty by 30 said. “This tuition-free path to continue educational attainment and training in high-demand areas not only offers increased wages for individuals, but also arms our businesses with the highly trained workforce they need to be competitive in today’s economy.”

To further exemplify how initiatives like Futures for Frontliners increase opportunity for Michiganders, the Michigan Dept. of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) asked essential workers to share what free tuition means to them. Below are just a few examples of real stories from Michiganders who are eager to advance their career for a brighter future for themselves and their families.

Futures for Frontliners is one of the state’s Sixty by 30 efforts aimed at closing the skills gap to address talent shortages, increase opportunity and make Michigan more competitive for inclusive economic growth. Increasingly, the best jobs require more than a high school diploma, and Futures for Frontliners creates greater access to education and a more equitable economy for all Michiganders. The program, inspired by the GI Bill which provided college degree to those serving their country in WWII, is a $24M investment funded by Governor’s Education Emergency Relief (GEER) Fund – part of the CARES Act, which assists businesses and families from the impacts of COVID-19.

To take advantage of the Futures for Frontliners program, essential workers are encouraged to apply by Dec. 31, and learn more about the program at www.Michigan.gov/Frontliners.