WIA - a way to pay for your way!

Two questions....

What does WIA stand for? Lol.

And also, Does the school you want to go to have to be in the state you live in?

 

Workforce Incentive Act

Yes and it must be certified.

 

I am so fed up with the #### WIA process... They are talking 3 months before they will even concider funding me and then there is no guarantee that I can get funded... Even after I informed them that I had a company wanting me to start and a school ready to take me they still laughed at me, and I do mean literally laughed at me, and said too bad... I have heard some people getting funded as quickly as a week to 3 weeks, yet in my area they are taking 3 months... It is so frustrating just sitting around waiting for this to happen.

And its Workforce Investment Act.

 

Hopefully, I can get in quickly. I have zip for income and it's been that way for a long time. I'm hoping I can qualify for something as a displaced homemaker. I don't know that it will help but it can't hurt, right?

 

Just found out yesterday that my CDL training will be--at least partially--covered by the state WIA program. Another portion will be from veteran's benefits. Although not my first choice, I was prepared to go into debt to pay for training myself, versus signing with a company and letting them foot the bill; would rather not be beholden to my employer for X-amount of time. I have to say, I owe it in part to this thread. Thanks walstib/Darkstar!
Despite some of the info posted here, the WIA program is a good source of funding for employment training. The funds come from the Department of Labor's Employment & Training Administration, as collected from corporate and business taxes, not from individual taxpayers. I realize that it can be tough for some to ask for assistance when truly needed--myself included. But this program is designed to get people back into the workforce and become contributing members of society again, so I am grateful for the chance to work toward exactly that goal.
I will say this: it wasn't easy to get this assistance. It's a grant, but it's not a handout. You might have to prove yourself in one way or another. If you get turned down at one source, don't give up; try another. Nothing worth having comes easy.
Good luck!

BAD

 

I sent an email this morning and got a call this afternoon. The lady sounded like it was just a matter of getting paperwork done (and a reading and math test which is cake for me).

 

if you want to know more on the wia program all you need to do is call your unemployment office and ask them about the wia program.

it does take some time to get funding because they do background check, check driving record, and take a physical, then you have to attend some classes or workshops also

they wont give you the funding you cant pass thier requirments.

 

I looked into the WIA program at the local job service where I live in Montana and they said that there is no money left for that county and that there is a long waiting list. They said that each county is alotted a certain amount of the money and that theirs is gone. I thought it was one fund for the whole state? does anyone know that has gone through this know if this is true?

 

Sounds similar to Indiana. The state is divided into districts. Each district manages their program a little differently and then each county in a district gets a certain amount of money based on their districts guidelines. For example my district does not pay for CDL training whereas the one south of me will.
It is possible to get funding from another district, but it is not an easy or quick process and funding is really tight.
Make sure you get your information from the actual person in the local office that runs the program. I spent over a month trying to get information and most of the people in the office had no idea what they were talking about and would just make stuff up instead of just honestly admitting they didn't know.

 

Just went through that myself this week. Here in Illinois its based on WIA/unemployment offices that control certain counties/districts.....For example, a school told me to contact my counties office and when I did, I was told they are out of funds until July 2011!!....Then the school told me to just keep trying other counties offices until I find one with some funds, was a very daunting task to say the least and most are out of money until July. I finally found an office in a neighbouring county with some funds available but was then told "are funds are for in-county residents only." So incase things are different where you live, my advice would be to try other offices. Most offices in northern Illinois have already ran out of money for the year, and their new year doesn't start until July :/ I defintely plan on being on my own truck by then.