Work Force Development Grant, should I do it?

[alissaroot]

Wow, thanks for all the fast replies! I have marked Ivy Tech off the list. You guys are absolutely right. No sense in taking a step backwards, especially for a technical career I'm not even really interested in. Even if it would be a free degree.

I have been looking hard at IU's M.A. in Language Education. It was on my original list of possibilities but I marked it off because it was too expensive. This grant will make it affordable, even if it won't pay for the whole thing. I think I'm going to apply for that program for Spring semester. If I'm accepted, I will use the workforce development grant towards that, and if not, I'll scrap the whole grant thing and go with one of my final four choices. An Indiana University Master's degree for $4000 is a real deal, I can't pass it up.

Since teachers at every level are on the Hot Fifty list, I think this degree program would be acceptable to the lady at the WorkOne center. If it isn't there is an alternative route to teaching program in Indiana, most schools offer it as a 15-18-month program, and the grant would pay for that. I would have decided on this already but it certifies you to teach in the field you majored in originally. Since I majored in Liberal Studies, I couldn't get certified to teach higher than Elementary Education. Decisions, decisions!

Would you be allowed to pursue a graduate certificate with the funds? That's much cheaper than the full master's and works well as entry into a new field.

That's an excellent suggestion. I have looked for grad certs but nothing popped out yet that would apply to a job on the Hot Fifty list. If you (or anyone else out there) knows of a grad cert program under $6000 in Indiana, let me know! Many grad cert programs also allow the option of going for the full Master's degree later on, too. I'm liking the sound of this.