RALEIGH, N.C. (WHKY) — Two community colleges serving the WHKY area are included in North Carolina’s first group of schools with training programs approved at the state level for Workforce Pell Grants.

Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute and Mitchell Community College are among 16 colleges in the inaugural group announced Wednesday by the NCWorks Commission.

The commission approved 43 short-term training programs statewide. The colleges providing those programs may now seek final approval from the U.S. Department of Education.

Workforce Pell expands federal financial-aid eligibility to qualifying career-training programs lasting at least eight weeks but fewer than 15 weeks. The approved programs prepare students for high-demand fields including health care, emergency services, transportation and advanced manufacturing.

Examples statewide include emergency medical technician, firefighter, truck-driver, nurse-aide, electrical-lineworker and process-technician training.

The North Carolina Community College System says each approved program demonstrated minimum completion and job-placement rates of 70 percent, along with credentials that can build toward further education and transfer to other settings.

Once federal approval is received, participating colleges may help eligible students use Pell Grants for the programs. Interested students would begin by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

The NCWorks Commission plans to review additional applications quarterly during the 2026-27 year.