Idaho begins LAUNCH grant program to help students pursue in-demand jobs

BOISE, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — The Idaho LAUNCH grant program is about to launch for the first time, giving many kids an opportunity to go to college and pursue much-needed jobs in our state. Gov. Brad Little said he’s heard a lot about this need when he’s been out in communities.

“Someone I’d never met before came up and introduced themselves to me, and he had a church group, five young men; all five of them had just been told they had been awarded a LAUNCH grant and it was very heartwarming for me to know they readily admitted it was going to change their lives.”

The program awards students up to $8,000 a year for schooling. Lawmakers approved it in 2022 after voters said they wanted to use the state surplus to fund career technical education and in-demand jobs. This is the first class going on to higher education to be awarded.

Little said of those; one in four of the high school seniors chose to go into the healthcare field, which has struggled to find workers.

“High school kids can get out of high school, go to work at a facility, continue to get their certification, they can start working in a nursing home and can continue to get up to an RN to where they have a good pathway.”

The College of Southern Idaho is also a key workforce trainer in our area. Some of their career technical education programs have helped staff workers grow.

“Welding you know the HVAC program in twin falls is one of the best they have 100% placement,” Little said. “They have a three-year waiting line of students to get in there.”

According to Little, the program helps the state as well as Idaho’s kids get better jobs.

“I think it’s going to transform the economy in Idaho and it’s going to transform it for the better. They’re going to have better jobs; they’re going to have more surety families are going to be more stable crime is going to be less there’s just all kinds of reasons to be very thankful.”

Students awarded LAUNCH grants must pay attention to dates to ensure they get funding.

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