HAMPTON, Va. — Changing careers for many people can seem scary or unpredictable. For others, it's a change they need to find hope when they felt like they had no other choice.
The G3 Tuition Assistance Program, established in 2019 through former Gov. Ralph Northam, helps financially support students who are looking to get into technology, early education, trade, and other fields.
From healthcare certifications and early childhood education to electrical manufacturing and welding, this program specifically helps people looking for a career in technology or trade jobs.
The program applies to people making a total household income of roughly $100,000 or less. Even after any grants or awards for tuition you may receive, if you are eligible, the G3 Tuition Assistance covers the rest of the cost.
For some students at Virginia Peninsula Community College's welding program, it introduced change when they needed it the most.
Current student, Cassandra Blythe, started getting her certificates in welding at the age of 41 after transitioning from jobs in education to becoming a mother who took care of her children at home.
“Like transitioning basically... right?" said Blythe. “I was helping my husband with his business. He became an entrepreneur... and then, he passed.”
Blythe lost her husband, Gregory, in 2019 when someone shot and killed him inside his car in Hampton. To this day, his killer has not been fully prosecuted.
"I became, like, you know the number one breadwinner in one day,” Blythe said quietly as she recalled that difficult time in her life.
Since then, the mother of four tried to find ways to support her children until she found a career path that sparked her interest at Virginia Peninsula Community College.
“It’s been a little struggle. My sons definitely helped. They’re welders also, but then I was like, 'I could probably do it, too,'” Blythe said with a soft smile.
But like any strong mother, Blythe needed support in return, including financial support. That's where the G3 Tuition Assistance program came into play.
Jean Frank, a Virginia Peninsula Community College Associate Professor, has been working with the college for more than a decade. She said she noticed a big difference when the program was introduced to VPCC.
“It’s a game-changer for some of our students," said Frank.
After years of working in U.S. Navy Aviation and nuclear power technology, Frank now teaches STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) to students she says often see college as only a dream.
“It’s the last dollar that gives these students a chance to get the education and training. Otherwise, they may not have been able to do that," said Frank. "What they don’t realize yet, it’s in a high-demand area.”
Frank says students take what they learned hands-on in the classroom straight to the job the pandemic left vacant.
“People at those high-tech jobs, they’re still working, but they don’t have all the people now to do that," said Frank. "So, G3 is allowing that pipeline to be filled and be filled in our locality, which is very important.”
For Cassandra Blythe, the program not only gave her a support system for her family, but it also provided a path for her to take in wake of tragedy.
“The welding class is, in itself, kind of therapeutic. Because when you’re welding, you get to focus on your weld and what you’re doing. In the moment, you’re not thinking about that," Blythe explained. "It’s a great opportunity to get a career and do something different.”
Eligibility requirements are listed on the G3 Tuition Assistance website. You can learn if you are eligible and what programs you can apply this financial support to within Virginia's community colleges.