SANFORD - A scholarship to help remove financial barriers for students seeking to gain new and/or upgrade current job related skills has been established by Central Carolina Community College, the State Employees' Credit Union, and the SECU Foundation.

The $750 award would be applied to the student's account to pay for registration and certification fees, books, course supplies, and other education expenses.

To be considered for this scholarship program, a student must:

• Be a U.S. citizen and a North Carolina resident living in the college's service area (Chatham, Harnett, and Lee counties).
• Be in one of the following target groups: unemployment insurance claimants, unemployed and underemployed adults, member of the N.C. National Guard, or military veterans and spouses. Underemployed is defined as individuals earning 200 percent below the federal poverty level.
• Be enrolled in a short-term training program that ends by Dec. 31 and leads to an occupational-specific, state-regulated, or industry-recognized credential that is offered through Continuing Education.
• Not be a Director, employee, or family member of an employee of the State Employees' Credit Union or SECU Foundation.

Preference will be given to students with limited or no access to financial aid from other programs.

Applications, which are due Sept. 23, are available at the following locations -- the CCCC Economic and Community Development Division (ECD) Student Support Center on the Lee Main Campus, and at the CCCC Continuing Education offices at the Chatham Main and Harnett Main Campuses. Students should download the application at www.cccc.edu/ecd.

For more information on the scholarship, call CCCC at 919-718-7500, 910-814-8823, or 919-545-8044.

For more information on CCCC, visit the college's website at www.cccc.edu.