PACE & GAP Programs

PACE Program

PACE stands for Pathways for Academic Careers and Employment. Per the Iowa Department of Education website, “The funding is to be used to implement a simplified, streamlined, and comprehensive process, along with customized support services, to enable eligible participants to acquire effective academic and employment training to secure gainful, quality, in-state employment."

Once students are enrolled in PACE, they are assigned to a Pathway Navigator. This individual will assist the students with any needs they may have, by connecting them to resources on our campuses, as well as in our communities.

The PACE program has a funding stream available for students that can assist with basic needs (food, shelter, utilities, etc.), transportation needs (gas assistance, bus passes, car repair, etc.), career needs (work uniforms, interview clothing, professional licensure, etc.), and educational needs (tuition, books, fees, etc.). PACE students will discuss need with their Pathway Navigator; referrals may be made to best serve the student. PACE partners frequently with IowaWORKS, WIOA, Vocational Rehabilitation, the Iowa Department of Human Services, and other local community agencies. Our vision is for PACE participants to build skills in resume writing, stress management, interviewing, and in other important areas, so that as they finish their academic programs at Indian Hills, they are prepared to seek, apply, and interview for jobs, and successfully enter into their chosen professions. Each student will have an individual plan set up for them, keeping their academic goals in mind, that will help them reach, and even surpass, these goals.

Our goal as a program is to assist students in completing their education by breaking down barriers that may exist in each of their lives that could potentially hold them back from graduation.

GAP Tuition Assistance Program

The GAP Tuition Assistance Program provides tuition assistance to eligible applicants enrolling in an approved continuing education, non-credit, certificate training program. These programs are for in-demand occupations in the areas of information technology, advanced manufacturing, transportation and logistics, bio and life sciences, and allied health. Certificates earned will increase the skills of workforce members. Non-credit certificate programs are not eligible for federal financial aid. This program bridges the funding "gap" for those students pursuing short-term certificates.

Depending on financial eligibility, participants may receive full or partial assistance with your direct training costs, including tuition, books, and required fees. Eligibility is determined by assessing family income for the 3 months prior to application date and family size. All approved participants must be eligible to work in the United States.

PACE Requirements:

Requirements:
  • Iowa residents (paying in-state tuition at IHCC)
  • Seeking credential(s) in a career-oriented field (credit or non-credit: certificate, diploma, or degree)
Plus ONE of the Following:
  • Unemployed, underemployed, or a dislocated worker
  • Uneducated or undereducated
  • Living between the 150% and 250% level of the poverty line.

GAP Requirements:

  • Live between the 150% and 350% level of the poverty line*
  • Have completed the National Career Readiness Certificate
  • Have the ability to complete an eligible certificate program
  • Have the ability to enter a postsecondary certificate, diploma, or for-credit degree program
  • Have the ability to gain full-time employment
  • Have the ability to maintain full-time employment over time

*Applicants who fall below these income guidelines will be referred to IowaWORKS for review for WIOA.

Note: Applicants will undergo screening to determine if the program of interest is an appropriate choice. Particular consideration will be given to criminal history and driving record as it relates to successful completion of the program of interest and/or employment in the field post-training.

Did you know?
Middle-skilled jobs make up 56% of Iowa’s workforce...
In 2025, two-thirds of Iowa’s workforce will have already been working since 2012..
Construction, Manufacturing, Trade, Transportation and Utilities, and Health Services careers...
Middle-skilled occupations in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) earn higher wages...
98.9% of students who received an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing...

 

 

Apply for PACE/GAP Assistance. Submit your completed form to a Pathway Navigator.



Contact Us:

graham_profileMichelle Russell-Graham, Director, GAP & PACE Programs
Indian Hills Community College

525 Grandview Avenue Ottumwa, Iowa 52501

Phone: (641) 683-5131or (800) 726-2585, ext. 5131
Email: [email protected]

 

horanMaggie Horan, Health Sciences
Indian Hills Community College

525 Grandview Avenue Ottumwa, Iowa 52501

Phone: (641) 683-5149 or (800) 726-2585, ext. 5149
Email: [email protected]

 

neher_profileMelissa Neher, Advanced Technology, Centerville & North Campus
Indian Hills Community College

525 Grandview Avenue Ottumwa, Iowa 52501

Phone: (641)-683-5285 or (800) 726-2585, ext. 5285 
Email: [email protected]