Owens Applauds Education Department’s Approval of the Nation’s First Workforce PELL Grant Program

Resources / Press Share on OWENS APPLAUDS EDUCATION DEPARTMENT’S APPROVAL OF THE NATION’S FIRST WORKFORCE PELL GRANT PROGRAM Aug 05, 2026 Education & Workforce Development Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Rep. Burgess Owens (UT-04), Chairman of the Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee, applauded the U.S. Department of Education’s approval of the nation’s first Workforce Pell Grant program. “America is the land of opportunity, and there is not just one path to success. For too long, Washington told our kids the only way to a better life was through a traditional four-year degree and a mountain of debt. Education opens the door to opportunity and success. Thanks to this incredible step forward with Workforce Pell, hardworking Americans who want to get a good-paying job in a high-demand industry have the same opportunities as those looking for a more traditional path. Both are honorable and needed in today’s society. I’m grateful for the work Chairman Walberg, President Trump, and Secretary McMahon have done to deliver real opportunities and not empty promises to Americans,” said Rep. Burgess Owens (UT-04) . What Workforce Pell Does Established under the Working Families Tax Cuts Act , Workforce Pell opens Pell Grant eligibility to short-term, high-quality training programs lasting 8 to 15 weeks. To qualify, a program must meet rigorous earnings, job placement, and completion benchmarks; have been in operation for at least one year; and be approved by both the state’s governor and the U.S. Secretary of Education. The reform gives students a debt-free, faster path to credentials in high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand fields. Share on