RICHMOND – As part of the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP), the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) awarded more than $250,000 in work-ethic certification curriculum grants to Blue Ridge, Laurel Ridge and Patrick & Henry community colleges.

 

The grants will underwrite the cost of delivering the Mike Rowe Works (MRW) Work Ethic Certification curriculum, a post-secondary program that examines the importance of work ethic, personal responsibility and a positive attitude. The curriculum was developed in partnership with Wichita State University Tech.

Blue Ridge, Laurel Ridge and Patrick & Henry Community College each will receive $85,500 to support two instructors at each community college who will dedicate part of their time to teach the certification curriculum to their respective community college students as well as regional cohorts. Regional cohorts include but are not limited to, secondary career and technical education (CTE) students, non-traditional students at workforce development centers, adult education centers and local/regional jails and prisons as well as employer-specific cohorts.

"Skill and competency development at Virginia's community colleges prepares students to secure paid internships and career opportunities," said Dr. Alisha Bazemore, assistant director of innovative work-based learning initiatives at SCHEV. "The overlay of the MRW Work Ethic curriculum provides a soft skills foundation for those students to become more marketable to potential employers."

This is the first round of the work-ethic curriculum grant awards. The timeline for subsequent rounds will be released later this year.

V-TOP is administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia in partnership with the Virginia Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the Virginia Business Higher Education Council. It is funded by the General Assembly’s Commonwealth Innovative Internship Fund and Program.

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