California Training Grants for the Unemployed
Unemployment is horrifying, particularly during unsettled economic conditions. When the economy plunges, some businesses close, others shed employees and entire career tracks disappear. When a "new economy" smothers an "old economy," many good employees find fear and frustration trying to regain employment. California training grants for the unemployed provide new opportunities for "old economy" workers to get a toehold in the "new economy."
Other People Are Reading
-
Grants and the Unemployed Work
-
Neither California nor the federal government award grants directly to individuals. Grants to help the unemployed are allocated to California counties funding specific training programs. Grant administrators---mostly the county workforce services---funnel grants to training programs on the workers' behalf. The Small Business Administration warns desperate workers that any books or services promising grants are a waste of money.
NOVA Program in Silicon Valley
-
Helping displaced and unemployed workers in Silicon Valley, public grants and private employers fund NOVA, a non-profit organization, in its quest to retrain workers and get people back to work. The NOVA program funds job search workshops, outplacement, recruiting and professional development programs helping workers train for new careers. It serves seven cities in Santa Clara, Alameda, and San Mateo counties south of San Francisco.
-
Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
-
Funding programs in each county, WIA provides job seekers with money for education and skills training. Following job counseling, Local Workforce Investment Area (LWIA) programs pay for college coursework, job training and provide assistance for professional education for certifications. Workers access WIA grants through each county's Workforce Investment Board (WIB), usually part of the County's economic development office or administered through the each county's Employment Development Department offices.
Employment Security Department Statewide Training Programs
-
Even when the economy slumps, jobs are available. Sometimes, the challenge for the unemployed is fitting personal job skills into available job requirements. California employment training grants put workers back to school at one of three different levels. Administered through the Employment Security Department, training grants pay for experiencved workers' certification tests and continuing education. The second level funds training focusing careers with expanding opportunities in the LWIA. The third level pays tuition and books for workers to return to college for a degree or specialized training needed to change careers.
-
