SkillPointe Foundation $1,000 Scholarship for Technical/Vocational Training

SkillPointe Foundation $1,000 Scholarship for Technical/Vocational Training is sponsored by SkillPointe Foundation. The SkillPointe Foundation offers monthly scholarships for individuals pursuing technical and vocational training in various fields, including construction, healthcare, energy, manufacturing, and transportation.

Get the Financial Help You Need | SkillPointe Get the Financial Support You Need Wondering how you're going to pay for training? Our resource section spells out the steps you need to take to get trained without incurring a lot of debt. Yes, Trade School Scholarships Exist!

Learn how to find national scholarships & grants, federal assistance forms, the best national scholarship sites and much more. Explore all your funding options. Talk with Jeremy, our AI specialist, about financial resources.

Don’t miss out on funding you qualify for. Ask Jeremy to help you find scholarships, grants, apprenticeships, and more, tailored to your trade program. How To Pay for Trade School: FAQs Every student's financial situation is different, but these questions and answers will help you understand what to expect.

How much does trade school cost on average? How does that compare to a four-year degree? The average cost of trade school is about $12,447 per year, according to NCES (National Center for Education Statistics), which looked at two-year programs.

The cost varies by type of institution, from $3,970 (public) to $15,736 (private, for-profit) to $17,735 (private, nonprofit). Meanwhile, the average cost of a four-year institution is about $22,090 per year, but the range is much wider, from $9,678 (public institution) to $17,825 (private, for-profit) to $38,768 (private, nonprofit). Most schools spell out their costs clearly on their website.

If not, you can call or, better yet, set up an appointment with a financial aid specialist at the school to walk through your specific scenario. Is there demand for the job I’m training for? What are potential earnings for this career?

SkillPointe’s career pages answer these questions and more. It’s a smart step to make sure your investment of time and money is worthwhile. If the job falls outside SkillPointe’s listings, consult the Occupational Outlook Handbook .

Does the school I’m considering accept financial aid? If you know the school you want to attend, you can look on the school website. A school’s ability to accept financial aid is connected to accreditation and will typically be prominently displayed.

If it’s not obvious, read all the FAQs and call the school. If you’re looking at several schools, use the College Navigator tool , which will answer this aid question and many other wide-ranging details about each institution, including what programs are covered. The tool uses the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

What is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and do I need to worry about it for trade school? The FAFSA form is the starting point for all types of financial aid for education. That includes trade school and training for all types of jobs — so yes, if you want financial aid, you need to take this step.

(Note: The 2024 form is new. Though the form is easier to fill out, students and parents reported trouble getting into the system when it first opened earlier this year.) Check out How Financial Aid Works .

This graphic explains in simple terms what happens at every step of the process and what your responsibilities will be. Can I apply for scholarships and grants to fund a trade school education? Yes, there are many trade-specific, job-specific and broadly applicable scholarships and grants available that can help reduce your expenses.

Start with our guide to finding trade school scholarships . Should I consider loans for trade school? At SkillPointe, our goal is to help you graduate debt-free or as close to debt-free as possible.

However, if you need help covering expenses, federal and private student loans are an option. Interest rates and fees are generally lower for federal student loans than for private student loans. With any loan, make sure you are clear on the interest rate, repayment terms and timing.

Are there any apprenticeship programs or earn and learn programs available? SkillPointe offers earn and learn training programs for several jobs. (For example, see the earn and learn options for diesel mechanics .)

Investigate additional earn and learn options specific to your location and desired career. Two good places to start are employers, unions or other organizations that need to fill in-demand jobs. Read our earn and learn explainer to explore more.

Are there part-time job opportunities or work-study programs to help cover expenses? Ask if your trade school offers employment options that can help pay for tuition. The federal Work-Study program funds part-time jobs for students receiving federal financial aid.

Check the work-study box on your FAFSA application. If you are approved, check with your school’s financial aid office for openings. Some employers will pay some or all tuition expenses for employees who have been with the company for a certain amount of time.

Home Depot and Amazon are two examples, and many smaller companies also offer this benefit. Some companies offer reimbursement plans that pay you after you complete each class. Carmax and UPS are two such companies.

How can I manage the expense of getting into and attending trade school? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers a thorough guide to paying for college and making smart financial decisions before, during and after you earn your diploma. How can I receive a Workforce Pell Grant?

Starting July 1, 2026, students who plan to enroll in eligible short-term programs can apply for Workforce Pell by completing the FAFSA, just as they would for a traditional Pell Grant. Pell Grant awards are prorated based on program length. For the 2025-26 award year, the maximum Pell award is $7,395 and the minimum award is $740 for a full academic year of 24 weeks.

Since Workforce Pell programs run between eight and 14 weeks, award amounts will be adjusted based on program duration. For example, a 10-week program might result in less than one-third of the full award amount. Workforce Pell awards count toward a student’s lifetime Pell eligibility, which is capped at 12 semesters.

Students who already have a bachelor’s degree can still qualify if they haven’t completed a graduate or professional program. Students cannot receive both regular Pell and Workforce Pell grants in the same enrollment period. There are hundreds of scholarships and grants available to help you pay for the training you need to get started in an in-demand skills-based job.

Take the next step on your journey today! State-Based Scholarships and Grants Every state has its own landscape of scholarships, grants, and assistance programs. And there's a good chance more help is available in your state than you'd expect.

Ask Jeremy to help you find financial resources specific to your state and situation. Want to learn more about scholarships and grants in your state? Ask Jeremy, SkillPointe's AI Agent Learn how SkillPointe works Watch our 3-minute video for an overview.

We'll show you how to use SkillPointe to explore careers, find training, and learn about financial resources to pay for it. How To Find Financial Aid for Community College Community college may be the biggest bargain in American education, but that doesn’t mean it’s always affordable. Here's how to find help.

4 Nonprofit Job Training Programs Helping Young, Low-Income Adults Job training programs like Year Up and NPower are helping young adults prepare for high-paying careers by learning new skills. Entrepreneurial Thinking Matters for Everyone — Including You Most people think entrepreneurship only applies to startups, but it's a skill we all need to succeed, no matter our career.

How Student Support Services Create a Stronger Workforce Expanded services help students stay in community college longer and graduate with a degree more consistently, research finds. Checklist for Starting a Business for Skills-Based Careers A hands-on, skilled job can be a great starting point for a small business. Here's what you need to know.

Training for Veterans: The GI Bill Isn't Just for College The GI Bill covers many short-term training options you likely haven't considered, especially those related to skills-based jobs. Yes, Trade School Scholarships Exist! Here's How To Get Them You might be surprised by how much financial help you can get for trade school, community college and certificate programs.

Carpenter Matthew McVay: 'The Opportunity To Make Money Is Definitely There' McVay, who owns his own business, describes how he got started and why this is such a satisfying career. Free Coaching for Virginia Residents Virginia residents are eligible for the Upskilling Virginia program, featuring free, professional coaching from InsideTrack to help you explore career options and college training/degree programs.