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READY FOR TAKEOFF
PHOTO COURTESY OF IDAHO GOVERNOR BRAD LITTLE
Idaho LAUNCH program provides unprecedented career training support for Idaho high school graduates
BY JODIE NICOTRA
Idaho high school seniors now have an improved range of post-graduation options, thanks to a new state grant program called Idaho LAUNCH.
By giving graduating high school seniors financial support for post-secondary career training, Idaho LAUNCH hopes to improve high school “go-on” rates—which measure how many graduating high school students continue with post-secondary education— and address Idaho’s skilled labor shortage.
Idaho LAUNCH gives graduating seniors up to $8,000 of tuition and fees for a wide range of post-secondary education and training. The only stipulation is that the training must be connected to an “in-demand career,” defined as any occupation with 50 or more job openings in a given year in Idaho.
“While state funding for postsecondary help isn’t abnormal, Idaho LAUNCH is charting new ground in prioritizing funding for in-demand careers,” said Matthew Reiber, policy advisor to Governor Brad Little. “The governor and legislature’s goal was to help students focus on good-paying jobs that will be able to support them and their families, right here in Idaho.”
In-demand careers in Idaho are plentiful. The LAUNCH website lists over 240 possible careers, encompassing everything from actuaries and adhesive bonding machine operators to word processors and zoologists. Students can also apply for grants to support apprenticeships in skilled trades like plumbing, electrician work, and carpentry.
“LAUNCH provides help to students who traditionally wouldn’t have had help with their workforce training or degree,” said Reiber. “It also helps students who never would have considered going on because of the costs associated with getting additional education and training.”
The grounds for Idaho LAUNCH were laid by Idaho Senate Bill 1167, passed earlier this year by the state legislature. The bill amended an already-existing program, aimed at helping working adults access short-term training to improve their employment prospects. That program has been very successful, creating an average of $15,000 in wage growth one year post-training.
By creating a more inclusive program for graduating high school students, the Workforce Development Council hopes to address Idaho’s weak go-on rate. A 2022 story in Idaho Education News reports that despite the State Board’s 60% go-on rate goal, Idaho go-on rates have consistently declined since 2017. Last year’s go-on rate was 37%.
As with the adult-focused Idaho LAUNCH, the program also aims to address the shortage of skilled labor in the state. In 2021, a blog post on the Idaho Department of Labor website called the scarcity of skilled workers “intense.” Already a problem prior to 2020, the pandemic made the labor shortage even worse. The shortage affects many employment sectors in Idaho, but hospitality, construction, trades, healthcare, and information technology feel the pinch acutely.
Idaho LAUNCH has already generated excitement among Idaho high school seniors. To date, over 12,500 students have started or applied to Idaho LAUNCH—over half the seniors in Idaho.
Vicky Shubert, a high school counselor at Middleton High School, called the program a “game changer” for many students. The grants have helped those who would be unable to afford college or other post-graduate training visualize a different future.
“I have to tell you, it’s been so much fun,” Shubert said. “I get to talk to students who thought they couldn’t afford to go to college or do anything beyond high school. And then you tell them, ‘No, you can get a certificate in HVAC, and it’s going to be essentially paid for.’ It changes them from ‘Oh, this is something I can’t do,’ to ‘I guess I can do it.’”
Shubert and her colleague Cheryl Keithley, a college and career counselor at Middleton, have made sure that every student in the senior class knows about the LAUNCH program.
“We’ve worked so hard, and it’s just neat,” Shubert said. “I’ve met individually with every student to make sure they’re aware of the program, and in some cases we’ve applied right then and there. And Cheryl has followed up with a lot of students who hadn’t applied right away.”
Shubert and Keithley’s efforts have paid off. Currently, 72% of the Middleton graduating class has applied for LAUNCH grants, compared to 45% statewide.
To be eligible for the Idaho LAUNCH grant, students must be high school seniors and Idaho residents when they apply. Grants can be deferred if students plan to go into the military, complete a religious mission, or take a structured volunteer opportunity like the Peace Corps or Americorps. But students have to apply while they’re still in high school.
Idaho LAUNCH applicants must apply to an in-demand career program at an eligible Idaho institution. In addition, they must complete a Career Pathway plan or its equivalent. Students can change plans after they apply, as long as they’re still pursuing an eligible in-demand career.
The application window for Idaho LAUNCH is open until April 15. Interested high school seniors can find information about the program and application process at https://nextsteps.idaho.gov/
