Little says Idaho LAUNCH applications blew past expectations
SUGAR CITY, Idaho (KIFI) – UPDATE: Governor Brad Little and Lt. Governor Scott Bedke announced Thursday the astounding of the initial application period for the Idaho LAUNCH grants, the state’s expanded grant program that provides new opportunities for graduating high school seniors to pursue in-demand careers.
As of Dec. 28, there were 12,588 high school seniors who submitted or started applications for LAUNCH grants - two-thirds more than expected. Around 7,500 applications were expected, and applications continue to come in.
LAUNCH offers graduating high school seniors grants that cover 80 percent, up to $8,000, of the cost to enroll in an education or training program after high school that leads to an in-demand career.
“The interest in LAUNCH truly blew us away. Clearly, Idahoans support opportunities for our young people to enter professions that drive our economy. We’ve always provided support for the careers that require a four-year university degree, but LAUNCH expanded that support to include skilled workers. These are lucrative, rewarding jobs that make our world go ‘round. We don’t want to import workers from other places. We want IDAHO kids to STAY in IDAHO,” Governor Little said.
Applications were well distributed among various regions in Idaho. Approximately 88 percent of applications received came from students enrolled in public high schools across Idaho.
Top programs of interest include:
- Healthcare technicians
- Nursing
- Engineering
- Biology
- Teaching
- Business Administration, Management
- Information Technology
- Welding
- Business, general
- Cosmetology
- Law enforcement
There are 76 providers around Idaho that will deliver the education and training offered by the LAUNCH grants, from universities and community colleges to truck driving schools, lineman college and a host of other institutions that train Idaho’s next generation of workers.
ORIGINAL: Governor Brad Little will announce the total number of Idaho LAUNCH applications and highlight the successful program in Sugar City Thursday.
Applications opened in October and will close on April 15.
Gov. Little will be joined by Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke and Workforce Development Council Executive Director Wendi Secrist.
Little first proposed the Idaho launch program during his 2023 State of the State address. The goal of Idaho Launch is to encourage homegrown students to pursue higher education in the state and eventually join the Idaho workforce.
The class of 2024 is the first group of graduating high school seniors taking advantage of this scholarship program. They are being offered up to $8,000 to apply towards approved, high-demand degrees. Mid-December, Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke spoke to students at Shelley High and had this to say about Idaho Launch.
"We've always had academic scholarships for those that were headed to college or university, but never as a state offered that same amount of help to $kids that were going to go into more vocational programs," Bedke said. "I can't imagine a where it's good policy that we're going to help educate lawyers, but we're not going to help educate plumbers, electricians. And the thing, you know, those jobs that our society needs arguably every bit as much, maybe more."
The program is funded by $80 million of taxpayer money allocated last September.
