Butler Tech officials said the program will provide scholarships to adults looking to learn new job skills or certifications and grants of $2,000 to $2,500 to help cover the cost of study.
In a statement, Butler Tech officials said the annual funding program was “essential to help students advance their skills and marketability in the workplace.”
The program supports a variety of certification programs, including commercial driver's license training, associate's license nurse, and industrial maintenance technology.
“This initiative has contributed greatly to promoting the career development and lifelong learning of Butler Tech's adult learners,” officials said.
The scholarships are not limited to Middletown adult learners who attend the Butler County Vocational School System, which enrolls more than 18,000 students, mostly local high school students, including several thousand adult learners.
Adult Butler Tech students from Franklin, Madison, Monroe and Trenton are also open to applying, per the foundation's funding eligibility rules.
Among the most recent scholarship recipients is Richard Reed, 31, of Trenton, who credits the program for helping him cover the costs of a career education in industrial maintenance technology.
“Receiving this scholarship was a big turning point for me,” said Reed, who recently attended the spring scholarship awards ceremony at Butler Tech University.
“This support gave me the courage to pursue this opportunity and gave me a foothold on the path. This support has made me feel more secure and confident in my path. I am learning much faster than if I had taken a traditional four-year course,” he said.
The Middletown Community Foundation recently transitioned from a printable application to an online system. The move not only simplifies the application process, but also reflects the foundation's commitment to adapting to the needs of modern learners, one of whom Reed said he appreciates the streamlined application process.
“Knowing there is a streamlined, accessible application process makes it easier for people like me to take that important step to further my education and career.”
For more information about Butler Tech Adult Education or the Middletown Community Foundation Adult Learner Financial Assistance Program, please visit the following links: Butler Tech Adult Education: https://www.butlertech.org/adult-education/ and https://mcfoundation.org/adult-learner-financial-assistance/.
