Are you unemployed or low-income? Have you been laid off or received a notice of lay-off? If so, you might be eligible for a grant that can really help you get trained, certified and placed in your new career. There is no out-of-pocket for you. Let’s see if you are eligible!
With the number of computer networks doubling every five years, the job demand for Information Technology employees continues to heat up for this high paid career. If you qualify you can use the grant to get the certifications the employers we work with are looking for|: CompTIA, Microsoft, Cisco, Azure and more
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of information security analysts is projected to grow 32 percent from 2022 to 2032, which is much faster than average. Cyberseek.org’s supply and demand heat map shows over 5500,000 job openings across the United States. Some markets are stronger than others. The Tampa/Clearwater/St. Petersburg job market pays well, because it has over 7,000 job opening and the supply of qualified workers is very low. The cyber-crime epidemic is expected to triple the number of job openings over the next five years. Employers badly need employees who are certified in Security+, CISSP, Certified Security Analyst (CySA), and/or Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH).
If you have management experience, one of the best job opportunities is in project management. In the Tampa/St. Petersburg job market the demand is especially strong for project managers and pays quite well. The Project Management Professional (PMP) is the most sought after credential for this field. Forbes magazine consistently ranks this certification in the top 5 each year. Other certifications in this field include ITIL, Agile Master, and Scrum Master
Responsible administrative assistants perform many administrative jobs and clerical tasks. Duties include providing support to managers and employees, assisting in daily business needs and managing the company’s general administrative duties. The more qualified administrative assistants can make a surprisingly good income if they have the necessary requirements. Certifications like Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) can really help to move up in this career.
Instead of having us talk about ourselves, why don’t we see what our clients have to say.
It is called the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). it is a jobs program. It provides free training grants to aid people get trained, certified and placed in big demand careers such as IT, cyber-security, business analysis, project management and more. The idea is that there are professions in which there are not enough qualified people and there are declining careers in which there are too many people. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) addresses this issue by providing free funding for career training in big demand fields to those who are eligible for this grant. This training is designed to make your skills marketable so you can get a job and get back into the workforce. This is a grant, not a loan. If you are eligible, everything is included, even the exam. The amounts vary by county but can be as high as $10,000 in some areas.
This is a jobs program so you must pick a program where there is a high expectation of employment. Each county has a regionally targeted occupations list (RTOL) to choose from. They want to make sure you select an occupation that is in high demand. For each approved career, there will be approved training programs to choose from.
The 3 most common categories are: Dislocated Worker, Adult Low Income and Youth (18 -25). If you have been laid off (or your position was eliminated or you were let go because of a reduction in force) from your last job, terminated, received a layoff notice or are a military spouse you could qualify as a Dislocated worker. If you are on Food Stamps or government assistance, or have low income based on last 6 month’s earnings and number of people in your family, then you could qualify under Adult Low Income. For youths age 18-24, you might qualify if you are not enrolled in school. You must also be found to be “suitable.” This is not an entitlement. The process is complicated so it is best to discuss this with us beforehand to see if you are eligible.
You want a plan that can be finished in a short period of time that will boost your marketability enough to help get you hired. We look at the best ways to take advantage of your experience to add a certification that will make you attractive to employers and easier to get hired. Some occupations are ideal for this: cyber-security, information technology, project management, business analyst, human resources, executive secretaries and administrative assistants etc.
There is no cost to you if you are eligible. No reimbursement or any out of pocket expenses. This is a grant, not a loan. Even the exam(s) are paid for. So what is the catch? We will be working with a very bureaucratic government agency. The process is as clear as mud. A lot of schools are reluctant to work with WIOA if they can avoid it. I highly recommend you consult with an expert.
Yes! The whole intent of this program is to help you get back in the workforce. We have partnered with a staffing firm that has dedicated a person to work at our location exclusively with our clients. She assists with your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, interview skills and most importantly, getting your information in front of hiring managers. We work with over 3,000 employers in Central Florida who use us for their training requirements. Many of them recruit from us so we get many job leads that are not accessible to the general public. Over half the jobs we have helped place people in are not even advertised.
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