Ivy Tech Community College, the public two-year college system of Indiana that serves nearly 200,000 students annually across more than 40 locations, is the second Workforce Pell program in the nation to receive approval from the U.S. Education Department (ED).
ED announced Tuesday it gave the green light for Ivy Tech’s eight-week clinical medical assistant program.
“At a moment when our workforce needs more practical routes into good-paying jobs, Ivy Tech Community College’s Workforce Pell Grant program is making history and will create a powerful career pipeline into essential healthcare professions,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a release.
Indiana advocates for Workforce Pell noted that new program will allow more learners to acquire the training for entry-level opportunities to careers that don’t always require four-year degrees.
“Workforce Pell will make it possible for more students to access high-quality training, aligned with Indiana’s workforce needs,” said Ivy Tech College President Marty Pollio. “Clinical medical assistants are in high demand all across the state, and this approval provides an affordable pathway for Ivy Tech students to build rewarding careers while serving their communities.”
Iowa Central Community College was the first institution earlier this month to receive ED’s Workforce Pell approval for its 14-week emergency medical technician program.
To qualify for Workforce Pell, programs must meet rigorous earnings, job placement and completion benchmarks and be in operation for at least one year. They also require approval from both the governor and U.S. education secretary.
Congress passed Workforce Pell as part of a budget reconciliation package in July 2025, with the Education Department working through the negotiated rulemaking process and setting regulations before the program officially kicked off last month.
