Iowa Central Community College‘s 14-week emergency medical technician program (EMT) is the first in the country to get federal approval for the new Workforce Pell program.
The announcement was made Tuesday at a press event at the college’s Fort Dodge campus that included Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Iowa Central President Jesse Ulrich, who touted Workforce Pell as a game changer.
“Our purpose at Iowa Central is simple: to help students earn a degree of credential as quickly as possible with as little debt as possible, so they can build a better life. That is exactly why today’s announcement matters,” Ulrich said. “Workforce Pell removes barriers for students who are ready to enter careers that are essential to our communities, while helping employers meet one of their greatest needs — a highly skilled workforce.”
McMahon added that Iowa Central’s short-term EMT program is an example of a program geared toward a high-demand skilled job that doesn’t saddle students with the high debt that can come with some four-year degree programs.
“It’s a shift that recognizes what learners and workers have been saying for years: they need faster, more-practical routes into real jobs, not a one-size-fits-all system that sidelines talent and delays opportunity,” McMahon said. “Workforce Pell puts that flexibility directly into their hands.”
The secretary also highlighted the department’s inter-agency efforts with the Labor Department to streamline workforce development and postsecondary programs and expand apprenticeships.
Congressional leaders in Washington also gave kudos to the announcement.
“This is exactly the kind of innovation Congress envisioned when we enacted Workforce Pell,” Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Michigan), who chairs the House Education and Workforce Committee, said in a release. ‘Today’s approval is just the beginning, and I look forward to seeing more high-quality programs across the country expand opportunity, strengthen our workforce, and connect students with rewarding careers.”
It’s been a whirlwind process setting up Workforce Pell, which passed 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 on July 1.
Workforce Pell allows eligible students to use Pell grants for students enrolled in short-term, accredited programs lasting eight to 15 weeks. Eligible programs must meet rigorous earnings, job placement and completion benchmarks and have been in operation for at least one year. They also require approval from both the governor and U.S. education secretary.
