President Eddinger Brings BHCC Perspective to National Workforce Pell Discussion
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Bunker Hill Community College President Pam Eddinger recently joined a national discussion on the future of workforce education, sharing BHCC's perspective on how the new Workforce Pell Grant program could expand opportunities for students while presenting new challenges for colleges.
Eddinger participated in an August 11 virtual forum hosted by The Chronicle of Higher Education alongside Tonjua Williams, president of St. Petersburg College in Florida, and Keith Curry, president of Compton College in California. The panel examined how community colleges are preparing for Workforce Pell, which will allow Pell Grant funding to support certain short-term workforce training programs. Participants discussed strategies for maximizing the program's potential while meeting requirements related to quality, completion, employment outcomes and wage thresholds.
Eddinger emphasized that the value of a workforce program cannot always be measured by a single outcome, particularly for students facing economic barriers. Drawing on her experience as a member of the MassHire State Workforce Board, she noted that Massachusetts is taking a thoughtful approach in developing standards for programs that may qualify for Workforce Pell.
She pointed to fields such as emergency medical services, nursing assistance and early childhood education as examples of programs that may not immediately meet some wage benchmarks but can serve as critical entry points to higher-paying careers. An EMT, for example, may advance to become a paramedic and later pursue additional healthcare credentials. For students experiencing poverty, Eddinger said, securing that first professional position can be a meaningful step toward long-term economic mobility, even if the starting wage is modest.
Eddinger encouraged colleges to look beyond occupations that are simply in demand and instead focus on what she described as "opportunity jobs" that create pathways to further education, career advancement, and family-sustaining wages. She cited BHCC's EMT program as an example and reaffirmed the College's commitment to helping students move from noncredit education into additional credentials, including associate degrees.
She also highlighted the opportunity Workforce Pell presents for colleges to improve their understanding of, and support for, students across different educational pathways. Colleges need systems that can track students from noncredit programs to credit-bearing coursework and ultimately into the workforce, she said. Achieving that goal will require stronger data systems, improved technology and a closer examination of whether existing student information platforms can support students whose educational journeys cross traditional boundaries.
Eddinger urged technology vendors to better address these needs, noting that many current systems make it difficult to connect noncredit and credit education. Rather than relying on complex workarounds, colleges need technology that allows students to move seamlessly among programs while maintaining a complete and coherent educational record.
At the same time, Eddinger cautioned against viewing Workforce Pell as a solution to every challenge facing workforce and noncredit education. In her closing remarks, she highlighted students who may remain outside the program's reach, including those who need English-language instruction, adult basic education, or other preparatory coursework before entering college-level workforce training. She stressed the importance of building stronger bridges between those foundational programs and Workforce Pell so that expanded access does not unintentionally leave some students behind.
Throughout the discussion, Eddinger's comments reflected BHCC's broader mission to connect education to opportunity. Her message was clear: Workforce Pell should be more than a new source of financial aid. It should help create clearer pathways from education to careers and ensure that the students who need those pathways most remain at the center of the conversation.