Rapid growth and strong retention highlight the urgent need for expanded support for under-resourced students pursuing technical careers

MINNEAPOLIS, April 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As demand for skilled trade workers continues to surge, Dunwoody College of Technology is marking five years of its Pathways to Careers program, a scholarship initiative that has expanded rapidly while redefining how colleges support under-resourced students while delivering strong workforce outcomes.

Launched in 2021, the Pathways to Careers program was created to address gaps in access, career readiness and income for under-resourced students and adult learners pursuing careers in the skilled trades. In just five years, the program has grown from 30 students to 257, a 757 percent increase, while achieving fall-to-fall retention rates of more than 95 percent.

“This is not just a scholarship program,” said Bayza Weeks, M.A., Executive Director of Community Partnerships, who led the development and launch of the program at Dunwoody five years ago. “It is a comprehensive support system designed to help students prepare for college, succeed while they are here, and transition into meaningful careers.”

More Than a Scholarship

Students in the program receive up to $10,000 per year in scholarship support, along with academic advising, mentorship, career exploration opportunities, and stipends for enrichment programming. The program also provides emergency funding for essential needs such as housing, food and transportation, barriers that often derail students’ ability to stay enrolled.

For many students, that support is life-changing.

“Without this scholarship, it would have been impossible for me to attend college,” said Erick Alvarado, a Pathways to Careers student studying Electrical Construction & Maintenance. “I’m the sole provider for my family, and this program allowed me to pursue a technical education.”

Designed for Real Life

Pathways to Careers serves both high school students and adult learners, many of whom are first-generation college students balancing school, work, and family responsibilities.

From covering essential tools and supplies to providing emergency support for housing, food and transportation, the program removes barriers that often force students to leave school. Parenting students can also access childcare support to make continued enrollment possible.

“Under-resourced students often face challenges that traditional programs are not built to address,” Weeks said. “We are working to close those gaps so students can persist and thrive.”

Proven Impact and Growing Demand

The program’s impact is reflected in student outcomes. Dunwoody expects 111 Pathways to Careers students to graduate this year, the largest cohort since the program began. Graduates are entering high-demand fields with average starting salaries of more than $60,000.

Equally significant, the program’s extremely high retention rate of more than 95 percent demonstrates that when students are fully supported, they persist and succeed.

“Our students graduate into high-demand, high-paying careers,” said President Scott Stallman. “They move into fields that are essential to the economy and to our communities. They build stability. And when that happens, something even more important begins to unfold. Because the impact of that opportunity does not stop with the student, it extends to their family and often, to generations that follow.”

Looking Ahead

As the cost of housing, childcare, and basic needs continues to rise, so does the level of support many students require to stay enrolled and complete their programs. College leaders say meeting that need will require sustained investment and a long-term commitment to holistic student support, ensuring the program can continue to evolve and serve future generations of students. For information about the P2C program, visit dunwoody.edu/p2c.

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ABOUT DUNWOODY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
Founded in 1914, Dunwoody College of Technology is the only private, not-for-profit technical college in the Upper Midwest. Having provided hands-on, applied technical education to more than 200,000 individuals, Dunwoody is the college for experimenters and makers, a place where the curious and the confident learn by doing. Located in Minneapolis, Dunwoody offers a unique campus experience in dedicated labs, studios, and shops that treat students like future professionals from day one. With certificates, associate’s, and bachelor’s degrees in more than 40 majors – including engineering, robotics, design and other STEM-related fields – Dunwoody challenges students to come determined and graduate destined.

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SOURCE Dunwoody College of Technology