27 Jul
With only one more Friday before the scholarship deadline, this is the second to last post in the Fulfill Your Dreams series.
Meet scholarship recipient James Birkenkamp, an electrician from Local 150 in Crystal Lake, IL.
Learn how a scholarship from Union Plus can make it possible for students like James to earn a degree the union way.
Safe Workplaces Save Lives
From being able to identify workplace hazards to effectively communicating the risk of those hazards to management, the NLC Labor Safety and Health degree gives students like James the tools they need to collaboratively transform their work environments.
Last year James was awarded $1,500 from the Union Plus Scholarship Program to work towards his bachelor’s degree in Labor Safety and Health.
Core courses in this major include Industrial Hygiene and Foundations of Safety and Health. Electives cover Bioterrorism, Hazards and the Law, and HazMat Emergency Response. Learn more about the curriculum here.
The scholarship was essential for James, who was feeling the weight of the classes on his wallet.
The Union Plus scholarship helped a lot. With the cost of everyday items rising, the money I saved helped our family a great deal this summer.
Degree Opens Doors to Opportunity
While James already holds an Associates degree, he sees new doors opening from earning a Bachelors of Arts in Labor Safety and Health.
“There are many new opportunities for people who have on-the-job experience like I do, and for working with health and safety,” says James.
He knows that the NLC is an excellent resource for union members. In addition to the degree program being affordable, he can study from home in his own time.
As a dad and a husband, studying online makes it convenient to fit a degree program into my schedule.
James credits the Training Director and the Secretary at his local for encouraging him to pursue his education.
August 6: Scholarship and Financial Aid Deadline
Scholarships for the Fall semester are available to help your dreams of completing a degree come true.
Scholarship applications are due in less than 10 days. Make sure you apply by August 6th to qualify for federal financial aid and scholarships.
This was part of the Fulfill Your Dreams at NLC series.