Are You Eligible for Free Career Training?

Are You Eligible for Free Career Training?

One of the toughest parts of continuing your education is finding a way to pay for it. What if we told you there are government programs out there that could help pay for some or all of your tuition?

If you’re unemployed, federal grants help cover the cost of career training, often covering the entire cost of your tuition!

A key initiative of our current Department of Labor is to find gainful employment for those who are currently unemployed. Rather than just transition skilled workers from “not working” to “working,” the government wants to prepare displaced workers for high-demand careers.

In October of 2014, the federal government passed the Ready to Work initiative, which aims at accomplishing just that. So, how does it work?

1. Local employers determine which positions they need to fill and what type of training they want their new hires to have.

2. Local community colleges then determine what career training programs meet the employers’ needs.

3. An unemployed student approaches their local community college’s continuing education department to learn more about training for in-demand careers.

4. The student’s community college and/or workforce board determines the student’s eligibility and applies for grants for the student.

5. After a student successfully completes their career training, they transition into a career with the local employer.

Have you been unemployed for an extended period of time and think you may be eligible to receive free career training? Contact your local community college’s continuing education department or your local workforce board. They’ll apply for your federal funding and get you enrolled in a career training program with job placement after graduation – for free!

You can learn more about the Ready to Work Grant here.