WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Derrick Van Orden today praised the U.S. Department of Education’s final rule implementing the Workforce Pell Grant program, following Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s visit Friday to Western Technical College in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Beginning July 1, 2026, the program will allow Pell Grants to fund short-term, high-quality training programs as short as eight weeks, preparing students for in-demand careers in manufacturing, healthcare, construction, and the skilled trades.
The initiative, created under President Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts (OBBBA), is designed to strengthen workforce pipelines and give students faster, more affordable pathways into good-paying jobs. Van Orden was a leading advocate for including workforce training flexibility in the legislation and fought to ensure these skills-based programs were eligible for Pell Grant funding.
“Wisconsin is built on skilled, hardworking people who keep our communities running,” said Van Orden. “We should be encouraging more young people to pursue skilled trades where they can earn strong wages without being buried in student debt. Not every student needs a four-year degree, and yet too many are pushed into expensive programs that don’t match today’s job market. We should empower the next generation to pursue these careers with pride, earn a good living, support a family, and stay rooted in the communities they call home.”
