CRIT opens new applications for education and job training support

Eligible Colorado River Indian Tribes members can now seek another round of education and job-training help through the CRIT Career Development Office, which opened applications June 8. The office is offering several paths at once, from Youth Services and Career Enhancement to Higher Education and Adult Vocational Training, giving students and workers in different stages of school or training a single place to start.

The Career Development Office says its mission is to serve eligible CRIT tribal members and help them reach educational goals. Its office is listed at 1120 W. 16th Street in Parker, Arizona 85344, with a mailing and contact address at 26600 Mohave Road in Parker. Families can reach the office at (928) 669-5548, fax (928) 669-5570, or careerdevelopment@crit-nsn.gov.

The higher-education track is aimed at students pursuing an associate degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or doctorate. CRIT says that support comes through Tribal Scholarships and Bureau of Indian Affairs grants. The tribe describes BIA grants as geared toward undergraduate students with financial need, while Tribal Scholarships are available to undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate fellowship students who show strong academic ability and educational talent. For Parker-area students trying to move from high school into college, that support can make the difference between enrolling and sitting out another semester.

Adult workers have a separate route through the Adult Vocational Training program, which supports certificates, diplomas and Associate of Applied Science degrees at accredited vocational training facilities. The program runs from a minimum of six weeks to a maximum of two years, making it a fit for shorter credential programs as well as longer trade training. CRIT also offers a Certificate Enhancement Program that can provide up to $1,500 to help cover certificate-program or refresher-course costs, a direct bridge into credentials tied to local hiring needs.

Youth Services is built for tribal-member students as well, with one criteria sheet setting the age limit at under 26 and requiring enrolled CRIT membership, a 2.5 undergraduate GPA or 2.25 high school GPA, and a recent grade report or transcript. The application lists uses that range from college-sponsored camps and leadership conferences to exchange programs, educational tours, boarding-school allowances, graduation expenses and college credit through dual enrollment. It also includes a $150 supply allowance, and awards are made first come, first served until funding is exhausted.

The timing matters in La Paz County, where the population was 16,557 in the 2020 Census and the bachelor’s degree-or-higher rate stood at 13.5 percent. CRIT says it has about 4,277 active tribal members, and its reservation stretches along the Colorado River on both sides of the Arizona-California line across almost 300,000 acres. In Parker and across the reservation, these applications are not just about schooling, but about building the workforce that can stay rooted in the community and move into better-paying jobs.