Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant

The Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant is a financial aid program that addresses workforce needs by encouraging adults to pursue a certificate, degree, or industry-recognized credential in an area designated as high need.

The Fast Track application is available electronically in the State Financial Aid Portal

Click the graphics to access the following pages:

About the program:

• Fast Track will put Missouri among the leading states that are serious about serving adults. It opens doors for an entire segment of the population to get training needed to participate meaningfully in the Missouri workforce.
  
• Fast Track will help meet Missouri’s Big Goal of 60 percent of working-age adults having a high quality certificate or degree by 2030.
• Find an approved program at an eligible institution (2024-2025).
• Fast Track Information Sheet
• Frequently Asked Questions about Fast Track

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How the list was developed:

High-demand occupations were identified using long-term occupational projections developed by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC). MERIC’s projections assign career grades based on projected openings, growth, and wages. Occupations were included if they had a grade of A or B at the state level or in any region. Occupations were then excluded if they typically required no formal education or education above a bachelor’s degree, or had below average projected total job openings. See all of MERIC’s long-term occupational projections here.

High-demand occupations were then linked to academic programs (identified by a four-digit Classification of Instruction Programs code) using a nationally standardized crosswalk of Standard Occupational Code (SOC) to CIP codes. A program that linked to a high-demand SOC was included. The CIP codes identify programs eligible for Fast Track.