Cengage’s Career Online High School will soon be available to workers and students impacted by the changing coal economy in Appalachia, thanks to a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).

The $100,000 competitive grant was awarded to Jobs for the Future (JFF), a national nonprofit that builds educational and economic opportunity for underserved populations in the U.S. Career Online High School is partnering with JFF to implement the grant.

An estimated 10 million people ages 18 and older do not have a high school diploma or equivalency across the 13 states in the Appalachian Region, according to the American Community Survey of 2015.

The project will train 40 students and expose 1,000 participants to Career Online High School across Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Another goal is to align the Career Online High School program with workforce development entities, non-profits, and community colleges.

“Career Online High School is a perfect fit for the ARC’s workforce development initiative,” stated the school’s district superintendent, Dr. Howard Liebman. “The program was designed to re-engage adults back into the education system as a first step to workforce and economic opportunity.”

Career Online High School is an accredited high school diploma and career certificate program. It was developed in 2012 through a partnership between ed2go, a division of Cengage that provides students with online continuing education and career training, and Smart Horizons Career Online Education. It’s mission is to provide affordable, career-based online education opportunities for the millions of adults in the United States without high school diplomas.

The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development agency focused on the Appalachian Region. The commission awarded 31 grants totaling $26 million to expand and diversify the economy in coal-impacted communities in five Appalachian states. These 31 awards will be used to train thousands of workers and students in certificate, credentialing and other workforce development programs.

About Jobs for the Future
Jobs for the Future (JFF) is a national nonprofit that builds educational and economic opportunity for underserved populations in the United States. JFF develops innovative programs and public policies that increase college readiness and career success and build a more highly skilled, competitive workforce. With over 30 years of experience, JFF is a recognized national leader in bridging education and work to increase economic mobility and strengthen our economy. Learn more at www.jff.org.

About Cengage
Cengage is the education and technology company built for learners. The company serves the higher education, K-12, professional, library and workforce training markets worldwide. Cengage creates learning experiences that build confidence and momentum toward the future students want. The company is headquartered in Boston, MA with an office hub in San Francisco. Employees reside in nearly 40 countries with sales in more than 125 countries around the world. Visit us at http://www.cengage.com or find us on Facebook or Twitter.