Workforce Investment Act Funding

As we've stated in earlier posts here and here, our philosophy in Workforce Education is simple: If you need help paying for school, create options for yourself by applying for as many different funding programs as possible.

For example, when new students approach our office to apply for Worker Retraining, Opportunity Grant, WorkFirst, or BFET funds, we also help them identify and apply for additional funding programs on campus or in the community. Some of those additional funding programs include Federal Financial Aid, Green River Foundation scholarships, or scholarships offered on thewashboard.org.

Another possible source of funding includes Workforce Investment Act funds, or "WIA" funds, for short. In many cases, WIA funds can pay for two quarters worth of tuition, fees, and books, so they are definitely worth applying for. These funds are typically available to those who are either collecting Unemployment Insurance benefits or who have exhausted Unemployment Insurance benefits, or to underemployed / low-income adults.

And applying is easy! Call 253-833-9111 ext 2211 to make an appointment with a WIA representative on Green River's main campus. If setting up an appointment on campus doesn't fit your schedule, you can also apply for WIA funds by attending a "Job Search and Training Resources Workshop" at your local WorkSource Affiliate. If you choose the workshop route, be sure to visit a WorkSource in the county you live in.