GTCC, shift_ed Launch Scholarships for Recent Guilford County Graduates Seeking Career Credentials

Welding, truck driving, and health care certifications now come at no cost to recent Guilford County Schools graduates living in five ZIP codes spanning Greensboro and High Point, under a new scholarship launched this week by GTCC and workforce nonprofit shift_ed.

The program is open to GCS graduates from classes 2021 through 2025 who currently live in ZIP codes 27260 or 27262 in High Point, or 27401, 27405, or 27406 in Greensboro. The scholarship covers full course fees, course materials, equipment including personal protective gear, and in some cases the cost of certification exams. Six credential areas qualify: Health Sciences, Aviation Quick Careers, Construction, Public Safety, Truck Driver Training, and Welding.

Wendy Poteat, president and CEO of shift_ed, said the scholarship was designed to eliminate financial burdens so that students can "gain the skills necessary to build a bright future for themselves." Both organizations described the program as closing an opportunity gap rather than a talent gap, a framing that treats graduates in these ZIP codes not as unprepared but as underserved by the financial barriers blocking access to credentials.

Beth Pitonzo, Ph.D., GTCC's senior vice president for college and workforce instruction, emphasized how quickly students could move from application to employment. "It is a simple process to apply for the classes and the scholarships to quickly get students on the path to a new job," she said.

The total funding behind the scholarship and the number of available seats were not publicly disclosed. Courses must begin by June 30, 2026, and applicants must register at least two business days before their chosen class starts. Enrollment is open through GTCC's Quick Credential portal.

The five targeted ZIP codes are concentrated in neighborhoods where lower household incomes have historically limited access to postsecondary training. If the program reaches its intended pool, GTCC and shift_ed have indicated it could serve as a model for broader, geography-targeted efforts linking Guilford County high school graduates directly to local employers.