LANSING — Since its launch, more than 80,000 essential workers have applied for the Futures for Frontliners scholarship.

The Futures for Frontliners scholarship was an initiative put forward as a means of thanking essential workers and help Michigan meet the “Sixty by 30 goal.”

The scholarship provides increased opportunity for essential workers to earn a postsecondary credential, even if they need to first pursue high school completion in order to have more opportunities for better jobs and higher income.

Sixty by 30 Director Kerry Ebersole said that this a great opportunity.

“Futures for Frontliners has offered the opportunity for Michiganders, who have put themselves in harm’s way early in the pandemic, to pursue their dreams,” she said. “This tuition-free path to continue educational attainment and training in high-demand areas not only offers increased wages for individuals, but also arms our businesses with the highly trained workforce they need to be competitive in today’s economy.”

With 18,584 applicants in Wayne County, Nathaniel Hawkins of Detroit said free tuition means the world to him.

“It would be a great opportunity to further my educational goals and to obtain a job in my area of study,” he said. “Paying tuition can be hard when you do not have the financial means.”

The program was inspired by the GI Bill, which provided college degree programs to those who served in WWII and is a $24 million investment funded by the Governor’s Education Emergency Relief (GEER) fund.

In order to take advantage of the program, people are encouraged to apply by Dec. 31 at www.Michigan.gov/frontliners.