Ideal Electrical, Sycamore, Ill., recently launched the Pathways Fund, a grant program to help skilled trades students cover nonacademic costs such as childcare and transportation needs so they can finish their programs.

The skilled trades are experiencing a shortage of qualified workers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that 9% more electricians will be needed in 2035 than 2025—higher than the 3% national average for all occupations.

And yet, a national survey conducted by The Hope Center indicated that 73% of two-year college students reported some form of basic needs insecurity, and 83% of students who quit school cited that insecurity as the cause. Things as seemingly simple as car repairs, childcare or a certification exam fee can end someone’s schooling due to financial shortfalls.

This is why it’s so important to support students. Programs such as the Pathways Fund provide targeted financial support to help students stay enrolled, complete training and transition into successful careers that meet this demand. 

The fund helps students in skilled trades programs graduate by providing funding to meet basic needs. The initial U.S. pilot program includes a $50,000 investment available to community colleges in the Midwest, with plans to expand to additional schools and regions in the future. 

Each partner school receives a $10,000 annual grant. The schools then offer discretionary grants to students facing nonacademic barriers to graduation to cover needs such as transportation assistance, childcare, food security, mental health services and licensing or certification exam fees. The grant also provides for donated Ideal electrical tools and supplies for hands-on learning. 

By addressing students’ basic needs, the Pathways Fund helps strengthen talent pipelines while supporting educational institutions, employers and the skilled trades as a whole. 

“Students learn best when they can focus on building skills rather than worrying about affording basic needs,” said Nicole Juday, director of the Ideal Foundation. “Ideal Industries has supported the skilled trades for more than 100 years, and through the Pathways Fund, we’re proud to help more students begin their careers in the trades.”

The first two recipients are Hennepin Technical College in Brooklyn Park, Minn., and Milwaukee Area Technical College in Wisconsin. Both were selected for the strength of their electrical programs and apprenticeship placement rates.