Workforce Development offers programs and services for working people and those recently unemployed who wish to return to school.

Tuition Assistance for Low-Income Families
 
Washington State provides tuition assistance through it's WorkFirst program to low-income working families who are not eligible for other forms of financial aid. Washington's WorkFirst Tuition Assistance program is based on the philosophy that work and training together are the most powerful tools for achieving long-term self-sufficiency.
 
By supporting both welfare clients and the working poor, tuition assistance helps give people the skills to leave public assistance and provide for themselves. Tuition assistance is available to working parents (20 hours per week) receiving a Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) welfare grant. Working parents (at least 20 hours per week) with dependent children and incomes under 175 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, also qualify.
 
Assistance available to pay tuition, fees and books will be linked to an individual's career and educational plans and will to lead to better skills and an opportunity for higher wages.
 
Seattle Vocational Institute can provide the following:

1. Vocational courses, certificates
2. Basic skills, including Adult Basic Education (ABE), English as a Second Language (ESL) and preparation for the General Educational Development
3. (GED) Exam.
4. Customized Job Skills Training (CJST)

Tuition Assistance for Unemployed and Dislocated Workers
 
You may be eligible to receive Worker Retraining Financial Aid and/or Training Completion Aid to help cover the costs of tuition and fees. Worker Retraining staff members are available to help you select a vocational program that fits your needs. They will lead you in the direction of an in demand occupation that pays a living wage with the probability of skill and wage progression. Worker Retraining is a partnership between the State?s community and technical colleges and the Employment Security Department. It is designed to provide job training for workers who have been laid-off.
 
Worker Retraining Program
 
You are eligible for the Worker Retraining Program if you:

1. Have been laid off, or have received a layoff or WARN notice from a Washington State employer AND
2. Are currently receiving, or are eligible to receive Washington State unemployment insurance benefits OR
3. Have exhausted Washington State unemployment benefits within the past 24 months.

The Worker Retraining staff will also assist you with your Commissioner Approved Training (CAT) application. Worker Retraining students attending SVI with approval of the Employment Security Department may be eligible for Commissioner Approved Training.
 
Commissioner Approved Training
 
Commissioner Approved Training requires that the worker:

1. Is unemployed in an occupational area for which there are no current jobs available.
2. Is unemployed with skills that are no longer needed in the job market.
3. Has exhausted available job openings in this area.

Individuals who do not fit the Commissioner Approved Training criteria are still eligible for the Worker Retraining program and can participate. They must continue to meet the job search requirements set forth by Employment Security while they are in school. You may qualify! For more information, please contact the Manager of WorkFirst and Worker Retraining Programs at Seattle Vocational Institute, (206) 587-4950. Support services are provided to eligible participants.