Every day, I am humbled by the dedication and passion of the Great Jobs KC team as we work toward helping 50,000 Kansas Citians on the pathway to better lives. While our daily efforts are rewarding, there’s something uniquely powerful about seeing our impact validated through an independent lens. This year, we had the privilege of having our program evaluated by Mathematica, a nationally recognized research team, and their findings reaffirm what we’ve believed all along: our work is making a measurable difference.
Willis Reed graduated from the Great Jobs KC Training Program, earning his Certified Driver License (CDL) training certificate. Willis works at Freedom Transportation, INC., a local veteran-owned business based in Olathe, Kansas, where he can use his CDL certification daily. Freedom Transportation is an Amazon Freight partner company, and Willis has been employed there since March 2024. Reflecting on his experience so far, Willis has gained valuable driving experience under the owner’s guidance, which has allowed him to learn how to drive various styles of trucks and further his understanding of this career field. Willis reflects that the most rewarding attribute of this job is being able to operate his day-to-day routes on his own to ensure he is working safely and in a timely and efficient manner.
This past month our Great Jobs KC training program team enjoyed a site visit to Mid-America College of Health Science. This was an opportunity for Scholar Advocates and Career Resources Managers to meet the staff and instructors at the school, see the learning environment, and ask questions about the programs offered by the training partner. The bonus was meeting several of our Scholars! We also recently visited another training partner, KC Phlebotomy, and have visits to Metropolitan Community College, MEDS KC, and Me2You scheduled after the start of the new year. We can’t wait! 
Adult Learner College Scholarship
Program offers:
- Up to $25,000 paid directly to the college over the course of up to six years.
- Once awarded, the Scholar can enroll full or part-time the fall semester following awarding.
- Scholarship can be used at any of our college partners. See our current list of partners HERE.
- Scholarship can be used towards an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or a credit-bearing credential.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Be a high school graduate or GED holder (24 years or older).
- Live in one of the six eligible counties. (Kansas: Wyandotte, Johnson; Missouri: Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte)
- Be income eligible. (FASFA Student Aid Index of 12,000 or less)
- Have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree.
- Have not previously been awarded a KC Scholars Scholarship (Traditional or Adult Learner).
- Is not currently enrolled in a Great Jobs KC Skills Training Program.
- US Citizenship/Residency is not required to apply.
If you need more information on program details, please find our FAQs HERE