                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

SHIPYARD WORKERS; APPLIED SCIENCES AND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS; VIRGINIA
VOCATIONAL INCENTIVE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR SHIPYARD WORKERS; FUND (§
23.1-2912)

A. For purposes of this section:
			&#8220;Applied sciences program&#8221; means a three-year program of
educational instruction at the college that incorporates instruction in
industrial applied sciences and leads to the conferral of an Associate in
Applied Science degree on any person who successfully completes such program.
			&#8220;Apprenticeship program&#8221; means a three-year program at the
college combining educational instruction and on-the-job training that is
established for the purpose of enhancing the education and skills of shipyard
workers.
			&#8220;College&#8221; means Tidewater Community College.
			&#8220;Industrial applied sciences&#8221; may include applied sciences such
as welding, burning, blasting, and other applied sciences.
			&#8220;Shipyard worker&#8221; means any employee employed full time on a
salaried or wage basis, whose tenure is not restricted as to temporary or
provisional appointment, at a ship manufacturing or ship repair company located
in the Commonwealth.

B. The Virginia Vocational Incentive Scholarship Program for Shipyard Workers is
established.

C. From such funds as are appropriated for this purpose and from such gifts,
donations, grants, bequests, and other funds as may be received on its behalf,
there is created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known
as the Virginia Vocational Incentive Scholarship Program for Shipyard Workers
Fund, referred to in this section as &#8220;the Fund.&#8221; The Fund shall be
established on the books of the Comptroller. Interest earned on moneys in the
Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the
Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not
revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Moneys in the Fund
shall be used solely for the purposes of (i) awarding scholarships to shipyard
workers enrolled at the college in the applied sciences program or the
apprenticeship program or (ii) the administration and implementation of the
applied sciences program or the apprenticeship program or both. Expenditures and
disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants
issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by the president of the
college.

D. Subject to the Council&#8217;s authority to approve or disapprove all new
academic programs as provided in subdivision 5 of &#xA7; 23.1-203, the college
may offer an applied sciences program and coordinate such program with an
apprenticeship program offered to shipyard workers by their employers.

E. Beginning in the calendar year that the Council approves an applied sciences
program and for calendar years thereafter, shipyard workers who are Virginia
students enrolled full-time or part-time in the applied sciences program are
eligible for scholarships for such program. Renewal of the scholarships of such
shipyard workers is contingent upon maintaining (i) enrollment in the applied
sciences program, (ii) a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a
scale of 4.0 or its equivalent at the completion of each academic year, and
(iii) full-time employment as a shipyard worker.

F. The college shall award scholarships to eligible students in the applied
sciences program or the apprenticeship program for no more than three academic
years. Scholarship amounts shall not exceed full tuition and required fees
relating to such academic program or the apprenticeship program.

G. Before any scholarship is awarded in accordance with the provisions of this
section, the scholarship recipient shall sign a promissory note under which he
agrees (i) to continue full-time employment as a shipyard worker until his
graduation and (ii) upon graduation, to work continuously as a shipyard worker
for the same number of years that he was the beneficiary of the scholarship. The
college shall recover the total amount of funds awarded as a scholarship, or the
appropriate portion thereof, including any accrued interest, if the scholarship
recipient fails to honor such requirements.

H. The Council shall adopt regulations for the implementation of the provisions
of this section.

HISTORY: 2001, c. 656, § 23-220.01; 2013, c. 566, § 23-231.1:1; 2014, c. 484;
2016, c. 588.