BOISE — Gov. Brad Little is encouraging businesses to support Idaho Launch, a new program to prepare students to meet the state’s workforce needs.

The program will provide high school seniors or GED equivalent students seeking in-demand careers with grants of up to $8,000, or 80% of tuition or fees. It aims to connect students with in-demand careers by helping cover the cost of any Idaho university, community college, career technical, or workforce training program.

Little has been promoting the program at press events across the state.

“The reception has been incredible,” he said.

Dire need

Businesses across the state are in dire need of skilled workers, and Idaho Launch will send a message to the community college sector, private trade industry or other training segment to build capacity because they’re going to have students, he said during a webinar on Oct. 5.

The program offers training for about 240 in-demand careers, with several in the agricultural arena.

“Some of them will fill up right away. And as we get it fully subscribed, we’ll have to narrow that list down because we’re hoping that we get 10,000 kids signed up for this,” he said.

The program will be administered by the Idaho Workforce Development Council, which will determine how the grants are awarded, he said.

“I am very excited. Wendi Secrist, who runs the Workforce Development Council, is a fabulous resource on that,” he said.

Members of the Workforce Development Council are committed to making this work, he said.

“I really think it’s going to be a game-changer,” he said.

Huge demand

There’s a huge demand for qualified people in Idaho in industries he’s familiar with — food processing, agriculture, timber and technology — and he doesn’t see that demand weakening, he said.

Idaho Launch and workforce development is all about helping people have the skills to make Idaho businesses profitable, he said.

“I’m optimistic,” he said.

Idaho businesses want to build a pipeline for their workforce, and they can do that by getting involved to support the students who will be their workers and fostering success moving forward, he said.

“I think it will take the current trajectory of the state of Idaho and even accelerate it more, and it will be our Idaho kids. We want our Idaho kids to stay in Idaho, and I can’t think of anything that will be more conducive going forward,” he said.

Building capacity

“We’re going to build out the training, and that training … will be available for continuing education for your employees going forward because we’re going to build training capacity for every industry, particularly for the in-demand career,” he said.

“This will be a career path for these kids going forward,” he said.

Training for some in-demand careers will fill up, but there are provisions to hold some money back until those seats come open. There are also provisions to hold back money for graduating seniors who go on a church mission, go into the military or do a certified service project, he said.