Arkansas scholarship boosts UAHT’s high-demand career paths

HOPE/TEXARKANA, Arkansas (KTAL/KMSS) — The University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana (UAHT), with the Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship and the Arkansas Office of Skills Development, is giving students an accelerated path into high-demand careers.

UAHT’s CDL (Commercial Drivers License) program prepares students to drive professionally in as little as four weeks. The program, offered through the Arkansas Trucking Academy, includes classroom lessons, driving simulations, and over-the-road driving experience. The Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship pays for $800 of the $3,000 tuition.

The Fiber Optic Technician program provides technical and hands-on training to install, maintain, and troubleshoot fiber broadband networks. Students who complete the nine-week course are eligible for the Fiber Broadband Association OpTic Path certification. The Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship pays up to $800, while a grant through the Arkansas Office of Skills Development could make the program free to eligible students.

Both programs are hands-on, short-term, and designed to lead straight to employment.