(KXNET) — Governor Doug Burgum recently signed three bills that aim to address our state’s workforce challenges.

The laws will help students, ag workers, and the formerly incarcerated, contribute to North Dakota’s economy.

College students who meet enrollment and GPA requirements are now eligible for a scholarship of up to $6,000 for apprenticeship programs in high-demand fields.

To help ag workers, the new H2A Visa Program has been approved, which will allow employers to hire non-immigrant foreign staff on a temporary or seasonal basis.

Additionally, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and the Job Placement Pilot Program are receiving state funding to connect recently released or soon-to-be-released ex-offenders with in-demand jobs in North Dakota.

The funding will also support two employees to work directly with prison case managers in identifying employers for the chosen participants.