JACKSONVILLE, Ark. — Schools like the Arkansas Welding Academy in Jacksonville are celebrating already because of the passing of Issue 1 on the ballot.
Students there will soon get the chance to tap into scholarship money that previously went only to more traditional college students, and the director is counting on those opportunities to provide the spark that will start someone's bright career path.
"Arkansas residents that choose to go to trade skills now they're going to have a tremendous opportunity with the grant," Alice Obenshain said.
Obenshain said their school has around 125 students enrolled, and they expect more after this year.
"The oil and gas industry pays very high tier for the welding career," Obenshain said. "I definitely see that going more in high demand."
Obenshain hopes that with this measure passing, the Arkansas challenge will consider a few things when creating the criteria for trade schools.
"Our school is looking at physical and mental capabilities of surviving the welding career," Obenshain said. "GPA really doesn't play a role in this or ACT, so as long as you're a resident, I'd like to see that being the need-based definitely eligible for the Arkansas lottery scholarship."
Arkansas Welding Academy Student Trinity Diemer said it's a change she's proud to see so that she can tell more people about the opportunity.
"I thought it was really great because I've heard friends talk about wanting to go to welding school, but they're like, that's so expensive," Diemer said.
Diemer said that with more resources, more women would be able to become welders.
"I'm also a first-generation welder in my family; my uncle who passed thought I'd be good at it," Diemer said. "I thought I'd try it in high school, and it turned out I was."
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement on the approval of Issue 1.
"Passing Issue 1 will help direct even more funding to workforce training, which is the top priority of every company executive I meet," Sanders said. "We’ve made significant strides in growing Arkansas’ skilled workforce through my administration’s Workforce Cabinet and Arkansas LEARNS, and approving this measure will only help with that mission."