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Career Forward

Our Career Forward program is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and provides supplemental financial support, scholarships, funding for books and training tools, connections to employment, and career coaching to unemployed or underemployed individuals.

Career Forward removes financial barriers from your path to success, offering you training and career certifications to set you up to grow in high-wage, in-demand industries, including:
 
  • Business
  • Health Care
  • Information Technology
  • Manufacturing
  • Transportation
In addition to job training, students enrolled in the Career Forward program receive:
 
  • Career coaching - Guided assistance to help you navigate your journey, from training to successful employment.
  • Career placement - MCC has partnerships with more than 300 businesses that are actively engaged in interviewing and hiring Career Forward candidates.

  1. Be at least 18 years of age
  2. Have a minimum education level of GED
  3. Meet income guidelines (325% of federal poverty guidelines - 48 States |  Alaska  |  Hawaii
  4. Have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 AND classified as unemployed, underemployed, or an incumbent worker
  5. Commit to attend all components of entire training program
  6. Be ready to obtain and maintain full-time employment upon training completion
  7. Be willing to work with MCC staff and report employment data upon program completion

  1. Attend a Workforce Information Session. Sign up here:  Workforce Information Session
  2. Sign up and complete the NCRC Assessment
  3. Complete an application and submit all required documentation
  4. Application Due Dates:
    • Fall Quarter — August 1, 2024
    • Winter Quarter — November 1, 2024
    • Spring Quarter — February 1, 2024
    • Summer Quarter — May 1, 2025
  5. Choose your training program. You can select from over 116 approved training programs. Many credit programs include the Career Certificate and Certificate of Achievement. You can also select from a wide variety non-credit Workforce Development trainings.
  6. Meet with a Career Skills Coach to complete an intake questionnaire, discuss requirements for training program and training dates of selected program. A link to schedule an appointment will be provided to you during the Workforce Training Information Session you attend.

Q.  What if I’m already an MCC student?
A.  Career Forward funding can be awarded to existing MCC students who do not receive Pell Grant funds. A current MCC student should call or email to discuss further how the Career Forward program can support them.

Q.  What if I already participated in a non-credit Workforce Development Training?
A.  We review each situation on a case-by-case basis. You should reach out directly to the Career Forward team to discuss eligibility.

Q.  Which companies/businesses does the Career Forward program work with?
A. MCC has partnered with Heartland Workforce Solutions on the Heartland Work Ready Community for business engagement. Priority is given to companies that sign up in support to the Heartland Work Ready Communities are invited to meet, interview, and select students in our training programs. MCC works with businesses across the Greater Omaha area. A list of businesses involved with the ACT Work Ready Community, can be found here: ACT

Have additional questions? Contact us: Call 531-MCC-7000 or email careerforward@mccneb.edu.