All interviewed students confirmed that they would recommend NEPA RISE to friends or family members. Interviewees offered the following comments:
- “Yes, I feel like having the program given to us has been an amazing opportunity.”
- “Yes I already have recommended the program and I did find out about RISE through a friend.”
- “I have previously recommended the program to other people, but no one has followed through yet, some people are not willing to put in the hard work.”
- “Yes it is a very helpful thing. One of the big things preventing me from going back to school was financial. If it weren’t for RISE, I would not be going back to school.”
- “Absolutely. Resources at hand, functions like any other college. They are looking to have you pass. Other colleges take your money and aren’t worried if you fail.”
- “Yes, I would suggest it to anyone of all ages. I think those that don’t speak to family or feel lost, this is definitely the program to help make connections. It sets you to have a good life and not struggle and helps decide where you want to be in the next five years, as long as you dedicate yourself and have future goals.”
% Some of Strong Agreement
| Statement | Cohort 1 | Cohort 2 | Cohort 3 | Cohort 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I feel prepared to succeed at a full-time job in my career field. | 29% | 90% | 100% | 100% |
| Whenever I needed help, I was able to get support from the program. | 43% | 80% | 100% | 100% |
| During my time in the program, I knew where I could go for help if I needed it. | 57% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Meetings with my coach helped me be successful in the program. | 43% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| I would recommend the RISE NEPA program to a friend or family member. | 57% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Progress Two Months After Graduation
| Cohort 1 | Cohort 2 | Cohort 3 | Cohort 4 | Cohort 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Completions | 9 (75% completion rate) | 13 (76% completion rate) | 13 (54% completion rate) | 10 (43% completion rate) | 17 (74% completion rate) |
| Certifications | 3 (33% of graduates) | 3 (23% of graduates) | 7 (54% of graduates) | 6 (60% of graduates) | 17 (74% graduates) |
| Employed | 2 (22% of graduates) | 9 (69% of graduates) | 6 (50% of graduates) | 7 (70% of graduates) |
11 (49% of graduates) |
Career Progress as of June 2026
Cohort 5
| Program | Pre- RISE Salary | During RISE Salary | Post- RISE Salary | 6-mo | 2yr Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Technology | 0 | $14.00/hr. | $25.00/hr. | ||
| Diesel Preventative Maintenance Technology | $10.00/hr. | $25.00/hr. | $26.00/hr. | ||
Cohort 4
| Program | Pre- RISE Salary | During RISE Salary | Post- RISE Salary | 6-mo | 2yr Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Assistant | $0 | $16.00/hr. | $15.30/hr. | ? | $19.00/hr. |
| Welding Technology | $14.00/hr. | $12.00/hr. | $18.00/hr. | $18.47/hr. | $21.42/hr. |
| Medical Assistant | $0 | $16.00/hr. | $18.00/hr. | ? | $19.74/hr. |
Cohort 3
| Program | Pre- RISE Salary | During RISE Salary | Post- RISE Salary | 6-mo | 2yr Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welding Technology | $11.00/hr. | $13.50/hr. | $38.00/hr. | ? | $52.00/hr. |
| Building Property Maintenance | 0 | $14.00/hr. | $14.00/hr. | ? | $15.50/hr. |
Economic impact estimates suggest a viable return on investment. The local spending of a worker earning $18 per hour on a full-time basis generates $13,063 in induced impact in a number of sectors and $23,553 in value added annually. Additionally, they pay $5,561 in local, state, and federal taxes. Their spending supports food services, retail, banking, health care, utilities, and the real estate sector.