Get A Skill, Get A Job, Get Ahead (G3) is a state-funded last-dollar scholarship program for students enrolling in eligible associate degree, certificate, and noncredit occupational training programs in the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) in five high-demand fields: early childhood education, healthcare, information technology, public safety, and skilled trades (construction and manufacturing). Launched in the 2021-22 academic year, the G3 initiative aims to increase enrollment, persistence, completion, and labor market success for low-to-middle-income learners. G3 has evolved over the past two years along with VCCS priorities to include a specific focus on boosting college enrollment and success of adult, Black and Hispanic, and low-income learners.
This brief highlights early insights from a study of G3 implementation and outcomes. Early analysis by VCCS shows that colleges are making progress in increasing enrollment in the five
high-demand fields listed above. Drawing on published enrollment and outcome data from VCCS as well as interview data collected from eight of the 23 community colleges implementing the G3 program, the brief examines college-level G3 outreach, recruitment, and enrollment strategies and the process for awarding G3 aid. Findings suggest that colleges are tailoring their messaging to communities of interest and in some cases integrating their messaging and recruitment to stretch limited resources. Findings also point to the ways colleges are seeking to make the application and onboarding process more transparent and supported in order to foster successful enrollment for students. The brief concludes with recommendations for what colleges can do to help students get on an affordable pathway to a high-demand occupation.