Learn about WIOA and other programs to help you pay for training.
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) training funds
The federal WIOA program helps people retrain or learn new skills that will lead to a quality job. Training programs are available in all high-demand career fields through local colleges and other training providers.
To find out if you qualify to enroll in WIOA-paid training, contact your local American Job Center. You are likely to qualify if you:
- Have been laid off and are unlikely to find a job in your former industry or occupation
- Are low-income and/or have a family member who is eligible or receives public assistance such as TANF, SNAP, or SSI
- Are pregnant or parenting and under 24 years old
- Have been dependent on the income of another family member but are no longer supported by that income
- Are the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces who lost employment due to a permanent change in duty station or is underemployed
- Are justice-involved or have a criminal record
Training funds for veterans
As a veteran, you have several options to help pay for school. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs administers several education benefit programs, and many veterans can qualify for more than one program. Read about the Post-9/11 GI Bill and other programs.
If you do qualify for veterans’ education benefits, you’ll want to make sure you enroll in an eligible program. You can search for VA-approved programs to make sure a program is eligible. You can use the GI Bill Comparison Tool to determine the cost at your chosen school and compare that with other schools.
Learn more about going back to school as a veteran at CareerOneStop's Veteran and Military Transition Center.
Do you receive SNAP?
If you qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program food benefits, you may also qualify for a SNAP Employment & Training program to help you gain career skills. Contact your SNAP office, or whoever you receive your SNAP benefits from, to learn more or find out if you qualify for SNAP.
More assistance
Explore these other ways to get help paying for training or college: