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Free and Subsidized Career Programs

Thanks in large part to grant-funding and community partnerships, CCAC is able to offer certain subsidized career programs for free or at very low cost. Check back regularly to see what specialized opportunities are available.

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FireVEST: Training Tomorrow's Heroes

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, the Allegheny County Fire Academy and CCAC are working together to offer the Allegheny County Fire Volunteer Education, Service & Training Scholarship Program (FireVEST) that provides full scholarships for an associate’s degree or certificate program at CCAC, as well as training at the Allegheny County Fire Academy in exchange for a five-year commitment of service to a volunteer fire department in Allegheny County.

Applicants must join or be a current member in good standing of an eligible volunteer fire company, complete CCAC’s admissions process, including filing for financial aid and be accepted for enrollment into the college.

Learn more about the FireVEST program.

HRSA Grant Programs

The Community College of Allegheny County has been awarded a $300,000 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration for behavioral health workforce education and training for professionals and paraprofessionals. Funded at $100,000 per year for three years, the award will enable CCAC to provide 42 scholarships (including tuition, fees and supplies) per year for students enrolled in the college s Drug and Alcohol diploma and Social Work: Fundamentals of Social Work Foundation certificate programs. In addition, the funding will help CCAC enhance the curriculum in order to give students more hands-on time in the field which will lead to job-ready skill sets for graduates. Space is limited; contact Christopher Robinson or 412.469.6229 for more information.

KEYS Program

KEYS is a PA Department of Human Services (DHS) program designed to help TANF and SNAP recipients succeed in community college. The KEYS Program at CCAC serves students at all nine CCAC campuses and centers and acts as a liaison for 9 Western Pennsylvania Counties.

KEYS is for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance and some SNAP recipients in Pennsylvania. TANF and SNAP recipients who are enrolled in credit bearing, certificate or degree program, with a specific career plan at CCAC may be eligible to participate in the KEYS Program.

KEYS helps you achieve your career goals by:

  • Connecting the student to career counseling and academic support services
  • Providing resources to tutoring, financial aid, and other services
  • Providing supportive services
  • Connecting the student to other community service agencies
  • Acting as a liaison between the student and the CAO (County Assistance Office)

KEYS has been developed in response to growing research that shows that individuals who earn a credit-bearing certificate or an associate degree are better able to get jobs at family-sustaining wages with benefits and opportunities for advancement. In fact, statistics show that individuals who earn a credit-bearing certificate or associates degree earn 32-42% more money through employment after graduation!

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BioMaS Workforce Collaborative 

Funded by a 5-year grant from the National Science Foundation, CCAC's BioMaS Workforce Collaborative offered up to $6,160 per year for eligible Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students studying Biotechnology at CCAC or enrolled in one of the CCAC/IUP Collaborative Teacher Certifications programs.

The scholarship covered:

  • tuition and fees for CCAC credit courses up to 65 credits
  • up to $450 in fall, spring and summer for textbooks
  • additional cost-of-attendance items on an as-needed basis
  • a paid internship for Biotechnology majors

Certain scholarship requirements had to be met in order to qualify.

For more information on the program, contact:

Caroline Evans, 412.237.2506
Sandra Bobick, 412.237.4474
Katherine Mosely-Turner, 412.237.4523