Boise, ID – Governor Brad Little announced today that 9,180 Idaho students will receive a final award for Idaho LAUNCH, the state’s expanded grant program that provides new opportunities for graduating high school seniors to pursue in-demand careers.

LAUNCH offers graduating high school seniors grants covering 80 percent, up to $8,000, of the cost of enrolling in an education or training program after high school that leads to an in-demand career.

These final awards represent a culmination of Idaho high school seniors’ hard work and commitment to lifelong learning.

Graduating seniors continuing their education this fall are leading the way to a more skill-centered workforce in Idaho, one that helps both students land well-paying jobs and employers to grow and thrive in Idaho.

“With LAUNCH, Idaho is taking extraordinary steps to prepare our young people for a lifetime of prosperity,” Governor Little said. “This initiative, alongside our historic investments in educating Idaho students from kindergarten to career, is a clear example of the incredible things we can achieve when we put the needs of Idahoans first. Our work has established Idaho as one of the most forward-thinking states in the nation for workforce development and post-secondary education.”

Of the 9,180 LAUNCH awards, over 2,600 were given to seniors planning to pursue health occupations, including in-demand careers such as nursing, surgical technicians, and other professionals desperately needed in Idaho hospitals. LAUNCH is helping plug the critical gap in Idaho’s healthcare workforce that we have been unable to address for years.

Idaho seniors must accept their final award through Scholarship Idaho. More information will be sent to students through the email associated with their Scholarship Idaho account.

“As seniors start to accept their final awards, we are seeing LAUNCH move the needle on student go-on rates,” said Wendi Secrist, Director of the Workforce Development Council. “I encourage students to regularly check Scholarship Idaho as we continue to send final awards over the coming weeks.”

Top programs for LAUNCH awardees include:

• Health Occupations – 2,604
• Engineering – 860
• Agriculture and Food Industries – 310
• Automotive Technicians – 475
• Welding – 349
• Teaching – 654
• Business Administration – 488