Gov. Ricketts, Higher Education Leaders Propose New Jobs and Education Initiatives

Press Release

Today, Governor Pete Ricketts unveiled new initiatives designed to connect Nebraskans to high-paying jobs and great educational opportunities. At the announcement, Governor Ricketts was joined by leaders from Nebraska's institutions of higher education and private sector representatives.

"Connecting Nebraskans to great job opportunities and helping our people develop the skills they need to take great jobs is critical to growing our state," said Governor Ricketts. "These new initiatives will help more Nebraskans find the pathway to a great career. I look forward to working with the Legislature on these measures as a part of the budget recommendation I will be making next week."

They include:

Nebraska Talent Scholarships -- The Governor is proposing a new program that provides $4,000 scholarships for students in targeted programs of study at the state's institutions of higher education.
University of Nebraska: Nebraska Talent Scholarships creates 250 scholarships a year at the University of Nebraska available to students in the following programs: math, engineering, healthcare, computer information systems, and all programs at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis.
State Colleges: Nebraska Talent Scholarships creates 250 scholarships a year at the State Colleges available to students in the following programs: rangeland management, industrial technology, criminal justice, and computer information systems.
Community Colleges: Nebraska Talent Scholarships creates 65 scholarships a year at the Community Colleges available to students in the following programs: the skilled trades and areas determined by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) as facing a worker shortage.
Developing Youth Talent Initiative (DYTI) -- The Governor is proposing to expand DYTI, which was first launched four years ago to help expose middle school students to careers in manufacturing and IT.
Past Success: Since 2015, DYTI has reached over 7,000 students across 23 school districts, exposing them to manufacturing and IT careers. Around $1 million in grants awarded to date with approximately two grants per year.
Expanded Plan: The Governor is proposing to expand the DYTI grants to Nebraska public schools from $250,000 to $1.5 million annually, allowing for up to 12 grants per year. The expansion aims to reach new students in every region of the state each year.

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