Adults who lack a high school diploma but long to go to college may now take advantage of GED Plus, a new program at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College.

“This would be an excellent opportunity for a highly motivated individual,” said Brian Becker, director of adult education at SKYCTC.

Through the program, students can finish their high school GED and earn a college certificate – tuition free – in four months or less as part of the Kentucky Work Ready Scholarship program, a news release said.

The program is part of a collaboration between SKYCTC and Kentucky Skills U, formerly Kentucky Adult Education.

Certificates must be in high-demand fields including health care, advanced manufacturing, transportation and logistics, business services and IT or construction and trade professions.

Along with assistance from the state’s Work Ready Scholarship, SKYCTC is also offering $400 scholarships to the first 1,000 enrollees for expenses that aren’t covered by the state scholarship.

For those who’ve been out of school for a while, the program also offers one-on-one help from instructors and success coaches, the release said.

If a student is pursuing a GED and needs to brush up on math skills, for example, the student can get help from a college instructor, Skills U instructor and a special “navigator” who will help tap into resources on campus, Becker said.

The program will also help connect students to employers after completing the program, Becker said. He described the experience as a good way for returning students to catch up on their progress toward earning their GED or quickly try out college. Students in the program get to have the same college experience as any other student on campus, he said.

“This is an opportunity that lets them in right now,” he said.

– More information about the program is available online at GEDplusky.org.

– Follow education reporter Aaron Mudd on Twitter @BGDN_edbeat or visit bgdailynews.com.