Workforce Investment Act
(WIA) Program Orientation
Dislocated Worker Eligibility
If you meet at least one of these eligibility criteria:
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You are laid off or have received official notice of layoff from your current job
(through no fault of your own) and are unlikely to return to your previous
industry or occupation due to current economic conditions
You are eligible for, receiving, or have exhausted your reemployment
compensation benefits
You are a displaced homemaker no longer supported by the income of
another family member because of death or divorce and are unemployed or
underemployed
You are a former contractor or self-employed individual who is unemployed
due to current economic conditions
You are non-retiree discharged recently from the armed forces under
honorable conditions or an unemployed military spouse impacted by spouses
active duty or discharge from active duty
Adult Eligibility
If you meet at least one of these eligibility criteria:
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You are receiving Food Stamps currently or within the last six months
You are receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits
You can provide verification of household income for the last six months
(definition of a household is anyone in the house related by blood, marriage
or court degree)
If you meet AT LEAST one of the eligibility criteria in the last two
pages and can document that, please proceed to the next slide.
Otherwise, we regret to inform you that you are ineligible for training
assistance. Please exit this orientation. Career placement assistance is
available at each of our Career Centers.
What is WIA?
The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) is a federally funded program designed to
assist participants with finding and retaining employment and to help employers
find qualified workers.
WIA is an EMPLOYMENT program not a TRAINING assistance program
WIA was designed to provide a 3- tiered service delivery that offers
services at your level of need:
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Core Services
Intensive Services
Training Services
Core Services
Core Services are designed to assist you with putting your high-demand
occupational skills to work. Core Services typically includes assistance with your
resume, workshops related to specific job seeking skills and similar other
immediate services.
Under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), it is expected that you will first make
significant attempts to find employment using the tools, resources and equipment
available in our Career Centers or through our website at
www.careersourcesuncoast.com or www.employflorida.com.
Core Services (Cont’d)
Services available to all adults 18 years of age or over:
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Job Listings
Information About Education and Training Providers (approved educational
institutions in our area that provide training for specific careers)
Labor Market Information (including employment rates, current and projected
wages for specific occupations)
Office Support Products and Services (telephones, copiers, fax machines,
printers, computers- enabling you to respond immediately to job leads)
Assessment and Career Planning Tools
Career Preparation Workshops
To equip you with tools, techniques and resources to effectively seek
employment, several workshops are available in our Career Centers:
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Tech 101: Computer and Internet Basics
Resume Basics
Intro to Optimal Resume
Job Search Techniques
Preparing for the Interview
Participants must be fully registered online in Employ Florida (including
Background Wizard and Resume Builder) as well as pre-registered for the
workshops. To view workshop descriptions and prerequisites, please visit the
online calendar on our website at:
http://careersourcesuncoast.com/94/employability-workshops
Intensive Services
Intensive Services are available to those people unable to currently obtain selfsufficient employment but could if some additional services were provided. For
example, if you simply need a licensure or certification, intensive services may
be the best route for you. Services include:
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Comprehensive Assessment
Career Counseling
Referral to Training
Referral to Community Services
Training Services
For those who met Intensive Services Eligibility, but have been unable to find
self-sufficient employment through those services, training services may be an
option for you.
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On-the-Job Training
Occupational Skills Training
On-the-Job Training
CareerSource Suncoast offers On-the-Job Training (OJT) as a service to
career seekers and employers to help fill open positions. Rather than
school-based training, OJT allows employers to hire career seekers and
use their own staff to train new employees on needed skills to do the job.
Benefit to Career Seeker
Benefit to Employer
Assistance in finding open positions
Assistance finding quality candidates for openings
Training on the job to learn needed skills while earning
pay as a full-time employee
Customized training plan suited for prospective
employee
To find employers open to OJT, click On the Job Training in the
Preferred Job Order Criteria when doing an Advanced Job Search
in www.employflorida.com.
Occupational Skills Training
Occupational Skills Training services are available to those people seeking
assistance who cannot obtain self-sufficient employment with their current level
of skills and need a full training program in order to obtain marketable skills.
Individual Training Accounts are established to finance training based upon the
individuals choice of a selected Targeted Occupations training program.
Since WIA is not an entitlement program, selection of participants takes into
consideration many factors. These factors include but are not limited to the
following:
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Qualifying for the WIA Program
The potential to succeed in training
The likelihood of becoming employed upon completion
Financial stability
Occupational Skills Training (Cont’d)
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Eligible and suitable participants are offered assistance in upgrading or
redirecting vocational skills in order to be competitive in the labor market
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WIA only pays for books/tuition/fees and supplies that are required for your
individual training program
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Please evaluate your finances, including mortgage/rent, utilities,
transportation costs, food and all other expenses prior to applying for the WIA
program
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You must be able to demonstrate that, based on household income, you can
sufficiently meet your living expenses and any additional costs associated
with training, which WIA does not cover, in order to be successful in training
Training Assessment
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If it is determined that you will need additional training in order to obtain selfsufficient employment that will support your family, our staff will work with you
to develop the best course of action
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The process will involve assessing your skills, abilities, potential training
completion barriers, and financial planning and budgeting. We have many
resources including testing to determine your aptitudes, career exploration
and tools to define your current financial ability to complete training at this
time. Some of these activities will require appointments and it is very
important that you keep those appointments
Targeted Occupations & Approved
Training Vendor List
To see our list of Targeted Occupations and Approved Training Vendors, please
click the following link and select the links provided.
http://careersourcesuncoast.com/39/career-training-opportunities
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Targeted Occupations 2014-15, click on review, research, and determine
which occupation you are interested in pursuing (we also recommend job
searching for your selected occupation to determine openings, education and
experience requirements for entry)
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Eligible Training Vendor Provider List 2014-15, click on review, research and
determine which approved training vendor(s) and program(s)you may be
interested in pursuing (this list will be available after July 1, 2014)
Questions to Ask When Selecting
a Targeted Occupation
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What wages can you realistically expect in this profession (entry, with some
experience and forward)?
What are the growth expectations?
Utilize Labor Market Information
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Are additional certifications required for employment in this field?
What is the availability of jobs in the area you are willing to work?
WIA Eligibility
If it’s determined that you are currently eligible to enroll and successfully
complete a WIA Occupational Skills Training (OST) program, then it is highly
recommended that you visit any school you plan to attend prior to enrolling in
their program.
You will be contacted for an appointment to discuss your eligibility, suitability and
funding available to you. -- Please note that, under federal guidance,
CareerSource Suncoast cannot and will not reimburse expenses incurred prior to
your eligibility and enrollment date in the WIA program. -- Therefore, we strongly
encourage you to seek other funding if you find it necessary to enroll in a training
program prior to having an enrollment interview with a staff member.
Selecting a Training Vendor
In order to make an informed choice about a particular training vendor, complete the
following:
• Physically visit the training facilities of your choice
• Speak with current students
• Speak with instructors
• Ask to sit in a class
• Ask questions that may be important to you:
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Are they accredited? By whom?
Do they accept the Pell Grant?
What is the cost of your program compared to others?
What is their completion rates for the program?
Does the training facility offer job placement assistance - what is their success rate in your
specific field?
When you are sure that this is the right training facility for you:
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Apply for admission
Take any admissions tests/assessments required
Remember: WIA does not pay for school entrance tests, background checks for entry,
fees or assessments.
Please Note…
WIA funded training is through approved training facilities only. The training must
be sufficient to qualify you for employment in your desired field upon completion
of training.
Important information to know before enrolling into your training program:
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Whether fees for required certifications are covered expenses
If you are able to attend classes on the days and times required
How long will the training last – from start to finish
Total cost of training- tuition, books, supplies
Financial Aid- Pell grant apply at www.fafsa.ed.gov (NOTE: applying for Pell is
mandatory for all programs over 600 hours)
What Does the WIA Program
Require from You?
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Attend a full-time program only
Maintain a minimum of “C” or required satisfactory grade level
Attend classes regularly
Contact with your career counselor monthly
Provide a copy of grades at the end of each training period
Updated Pell information as necessary
Complete your training, as well as any required test for licensing and/or
certifications within the original agreed to timeframe
Copy of your certificate or diploma
Get a job in the field/occupation you trained for
Check in every three months for a year after you have found employment
to verify your continued employment
Notify your career counselor promptly of changes in your address, phone
number, email, or personal situation which might affect your ability to
complete your training and employment goals
REMEMBER…
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Do not attend classes that you expect to be paid for by WIA funding until your
individual training plan is completed, signed by you and your career
counselor, and you have received written authorization that your funding has
been approved
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Pre-requisite courses are not paid by WIA
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Payment for training is by a voucher only to approved training facilities
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It is best not to sign loan application or contracts until you have consulted
with your career counselor
Potential Barriers to Training & Employment
Do you have any needs in the following areas that would prohibit completion of
your training program and/or ability to obtain and retain employment?
-Child Care
-Transportation
-Medical Conditions
-Pending Court Dates
-Housing/Shelter
-Background/Criminal History
It is required that you address any issue that could potentially prohibit you from
completing your training program and securing employment.
If you answered yes to any of the questions above…
Please do not enroll into any training program without first discussing it with your
career counselor. We are here to help you succeed both in your training and your
future employment!
Create an Email Account
There are many websites that offer FREE email accounts (yahoo.com,
google.com, and MSN.com).
In order to efficiently communicate with potential employers, school and WIA
staff, we strongly encourage you to establish an email account. If you need
assistance, the staff in the resource room will gladly help you create an email
account.
In Summary
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WIA is an employment program, NOT a training assistance program
Not every applicant may be eligible to receive WIA training funding
WIA only pays for books/tuition/fees and supplies that are required for your
training program
Next Steps:
Register on employflorida.com
Upload your resume or use the “Resume Builder” in Employ Florida to create one
Create an email account
Complete the WIA Application on-line
Youth Services
For individuals who are between the ages of 18-21, CareerSource Suncoast
provides specialized Youth Services.
You must be:
• Income eligible
• Meet WIA youth criteria
• Meet with a WIA youth counselor
• Click here for more information
http://careersourcesuncoast.com/35/career-seeker-services#youth
Other Websites
Please review the following websites for other funding opportunities:
www.scholarships.com
www.fastaid.com
www.fastweb.com
Disability?
If you have a disability which prohibits you from returning to work,
you may be eligible for other services
Please contact Vocational Rehabilitation in your area:
Bradenton 941.721.2850
Sarasota 941.359.5670
Venice 941.486.2682
Questions?
Please feel free to contact CareerSource Suncoast at:
wia@careersourcesc.com
WIA is an equal opportunity program. Auxiliary aids and services are available
upon request by individuals with disabilities via the Florida Relay System at 711.