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“I can honestly say, if it was not for the support that I received from Project QUEST, I don’t think I would have made it,” James says. “Through all the hardships, my Career [Navigator] Maria was there to encourage me and keep me on track.”
Modeled after successful Project QUEST programs across the country, Excellerate Foundation and Walton Family Foundation have joined together to launch Upskill Northwest Arkansas (Upskill NWA) to assist individuals like James who wish to excel academically and launch a career but face numerous barriers to doing so. Upskill NWA will empower and prepare residents of Northwest Arkansas to pursue in-demand careers that have opportunities for advancement and provide financial stability for their families.
“Project QUEST of San Antonio has proven that its model increases the annual income of participants dramatically on an ongoing basis while providing San Antonio with a 19:1 return on investment back to the community,” says Jeff Webster, president and CEO of Excellerate Foundation. “Its 25 years of success has led to the model’s replication in four other areas of Texas and several other states.”
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Time-Tested Upskill NWA Program Combines College Assistance with Career Placement
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ason Thomas believed he was on a dead-end street, the father of seven children with no career prospects in sight. When he first learned about
Project QUEST, a program that provides educational access, financial and social services support, and career navigation, he figured there must be a catch. The orientation session addressed his skepticism with positive answers to each of his questions. He took what he describes as “a leap of faith” and entered the program. Today, James has an associate nursing degree and is planning to pursue his master's degree in nursing.
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This is not just a ‘sign-up and good luck’ process. We work closely with all participants to guarantee they achieve success.
Too many banks assume that people don't have questions.
- Bill Whiting, Manager
— Dazzie McKelvy
Regional Director of Community Health Advancemen
PROVIDENCE HEALTH & SERVICES alaska
Dazzie McKelvy, who helped build a program in Austin, Texas and other programs modeled on Project QUEST, believes it is natural for potential Upskill NWA applicants to be wary, given that they’ve often been denied opportunities to advance economically and fallen prey to schemes that appear too good to be true.
“We don’t screen people out of our program, we screen them in,” she says. “This is not just a ‘sign-up and good luck’ process. We work closely with all participants to guarantee they achieve success.”
McKelvy says that for many potential students who must juggle hourly work obligations, childcare, and other commitments, simply attending the Upskill NWA orientation is worthy of celebration. She also notes that participants quickly learn that the Upskill NWA Career Navigators have plenty of their own challenging stories to tell. Learning that their situations are far from unique often relaxes participants as they begin their path toward academic success and a living wage career.
“Using the QUEST model, we built [the Austin] program from the ground up through trial and error,” says McKelvy. “I’ve never worked so hard in my entire life, but it means the new Upskill NWA program can hit the ground running without going through many of the same growing pains. We learned in the process that people need to understand we’ve all been through challenging times. Our model is prepared to overcome those hurdles.”
The Upskill NWA application process begins with an orientation, an introduction to how the program works, and the expectations for participants. The second step requires an assessment, an evaluation that enables the staff to better understand the exact level of individual needs. It is not, McKelvy emphasizes, an entrance exam. The assessment helps Upskill NWA put a plan in place that sets you up for success.
“The assessment allows our staff to determine your education and your life plan. This information proves invaluable in determining how long your education will take, how many and what classes to enroll in, and how to best manage everything else that is happening in your life. We’re set up to jointly find a solution for every applicant willing to commit to the process."
The third step matches each individual with a career navigator, an advisor and advocate, who will work tirelessly to support you in your education and anything else that may be a barrier to success such as tutoring, childcare, transportation, and rental assistance. The final step in the application process involves meeting with the director who will officially accept and welcome you into Upskill NWA.
Then the hard work starts. As a participant you will attend classes and weekly meetings with your career navigator. You will have the support of a career navigator until you graduate. You will then have the assistance of a professional who helps place you in the position you chose with an employer who has already committed to your successful career.
Upskill NWA will start by focusing on careers in healthcare, an employment sector that has posted 5,000 job openings in the region over the past 12 months, according to Larry Shackelford, president and CEO of Washington Regional Medical System, one of six local health institutions that are partnering with Upskill NWA.
Academically, Upskill NWA is partnering with Northwest Arkansas Community College, Northwest Technical Institute, and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Jeff Webster says these partnerships will make a huge difference in the lives of Northwest Arkansas families and the greater community. “Roughly two-thirds of our workforce have less than a Bachelor's degree. This is about 200,000 people that have room to "move up" in their careers to fill jobs that are good paying and in high need. Many of them do not currently have the income necessary to support living in a region where affordable housing, healthcare, and childcare are hard to come by.”
Chelsie encountered a similar struggle firsthand, promising her dying mother she would assume guardianship of her three nephews after her sister was incarcerated. Her difficult journey to become an RN would not have been possible without the support of the San Antonio Project QUEST.
"Not only did they assist with my books and tuition, but they also offered me tutoring services at no charge," she says. "Today, I am a registered nurse and the first in my family to graduate from college. I hope to show my nephews that, despite the trials of life, you can reach your goals."
Today, I am a registered nurse and the first in my family to graduate from college. I hope to show my nephews that, despite the trials of life, you can reach your goals.
— Chelsie , PARTICIPANT in Upskill NWA
Like Chelsie, all participants in Upskill NWA will receive assistance with tuition, supplies, and fees, as well as coordinated wraparound services, including rental assistance, child care, and transportation.
“We’ve seen the incredible impact this model has had in many communities around the country,” says Webster. “The rollout phase will make a very strong case for ongoing employer, governmental, and philanthropic support.”
The first class of Upskill NWA participants that will begin in January 2022 and is taking applications now. If you or someone you know is interested in receiving an education and career placement in the medical sciences, visit the Upskill NWA website to learn more.
Registered Nurse
Licensed Practical Nurse
Physical Therapy Assistant
Surgical Technologist
Respiratory Therapist
Emergency Medical Technician
Health Information Management
Radiologic Imaging Sciences
More information
Career Directions
How it Works
Our three-part application process will allow you to complete the application from your home computer or smartphone with internet. If you are have additional questions about the application process, contact info@upskillnwa.com.
Fill Out an Application
Submit your information here to get started on your application.
Let Us Get to Know You
Meet with a member of the Upskill NWA team to review your application and interview for the program.
Learn and Upskill!
Accepted applicants will start as Upskill NWA participants at the next available opportunity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is this program provided to participants at no cost?
Who is eligible to participate?
What sort of income level documentation will I need to provide?
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As an organization with a mission to place people into great careers, we collaborate with like-minded organizations throughout our community. Through the generous support of multiple entities, Upskill NWA’s services—including tuition, books, fees, as well as applicable needs like transportation and childcare—are provided at no cost to participants.
Participants must have a household income at or lower than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Participants must also be able to be a student and work in the United States, and they must be accepted for enrollment by one of our educational partners. Participants must also reside in Benton, Madison, or Washington County in Arkansas. For more information, please see Apply.
Provide your income, your spouse or partner's income, and any income benefits you receive for your children (under the age of 18). This includes income from your job, child support, benefits, assistance programs, and so on.
If you do not have any income of your own, for example a parent supports you, you will need to ask that person for your expense amounts and will be able to note this in your application when reporting your income and expenses.
NOW TAKING APPLICATIONS