A new Thruway Authority Skilled Trades Scholarship Program aims to recruit qualified students pursuing a career in the trades and to increase workplace diversity, according to a release from the governor’s office.

The Thruway Authority will collaborate with schools offering programs in trades such as carpentry, electrical, HVAC, and plumbing, and provide students the chance to jumpstart their careers with the Thruway Authority while gaining on-the-job training.

Ten students will be selected in the pilot program this year to work in each of the Thruway Authority’s maintenance divisions across the state.

Students enrolled in vocational/technical programs, or accepted for enrollment at a trade school or college-level program, may apply for the scholarship program, online at http://www.thruway.ny.gov/scholarship/.

Applicants must submit an employment application and provide two letters of recommendation. Submissions will be reviewed by a committee, which will interview and select the qualified candidates this summer.

Selected applicants will be awarded $1,000 toward their education while joining the Thruway Authority workforce. As full-time Thruway Authority employees, the participants will be eligible for the Thruway Authority’s tuition reimbursement program to further fund their education expenses.

During the program, participants will continue to attend classes and obtain the necessary qualifications for progressive levels of the program. With proper training and experience, the candidates will be appointed to a journey-level trade position with the Thruway Authority once they meet the minimum qualifications.