A $1 million grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation will expand access to construction education, increase student scholarships and strengthen affordable housing partnerships with Metropolitan Community College (MCC) (mccneb.edu), helping students pursuing careers in Nebraska’s growing construction industry. In addition, a $250,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation to HomeWoven, a nonprofit focused on housing stability, will support the construction of affordable homes in South Omaha while creating an expanded internship program with MCC, enabling students to learn on the job through hands-on housing development experience.
The investment comes as both employer demand and student interest in construction-related careers continue to rise. At MCC, enrollment demand in construction-related programs continues to exceed available capacity, underscoring the need to expand educational opportunities for future skilled trades professionals.
The MCC grant includes $750,000 for improvements supporting construction education and $250,000 in scholarships for students pursuing these programs.
For several years, more than 100 MCC students annually have collaborated across disciplines to design and construct affordable homes in partnership with local nonprofits. The Wells Fargo grant is expected to help build on that work by preparing more students for construction careers while expanding opportunities to serve the community.
For more information, please visit mccneb.edu/News.