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Are you unemployed or low-income? Have you been laid off or been notified there will be a 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 cost to you. Let’s see if you are eligible!
With the amount of computer networks doubling every 5 years, the job demand for Information Technology workers continues to shoot 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, Oracle, VMware and more
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of Security Analysts is projected to grow by 37 percent between 2012 and 2022, which is much stronger than average. Cyberseek.org’s supply and demand heat map shows over 700,000 job openings across the United States. Some markets are even better than others. The Tampa/Clearwater/St. Petersburg job market pays well, because it has over 10,000 job opening and the supply of qualified workers is very low. The cyber-crime epidemic is expected to triple the number of open positions over the next 5 years. Employers desperately need workers who are certified in Security+, CISSP, Certified Security Analyst (CySA), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) and Cisco CCNA Security
If you have management experience, one of the most high demand job opportunities is in project management. In the Tampa/St. Petersburg job market the demand is especially high for project managers and pays quite well. The Project Management Professional (PMP) is the most sought after certification for this field. Forbes magazine consistently ranks this certification in the top 5 each year. Other certifications in this field include ITIL, PMI-Agile, and Scrum Master
Responsible administrative assistants perform a variety of administrative jobs and clerical tasks. Duties include providing support to managers and employees, assisting in every day business needs and managing the company’s general administrative requirements. The more qualified administrative assistants can make a surprisingly good salary if they have the necessary requirements. Certifications like Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) and QuickBooks 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. WIOA provides no cost training grants to help workers get trained, certified and placed in big demand fields such as IT, cyber-security, business analysis, project management and more. The idea is that there are careers in which there are not enough qualified workers and there are declining fields in which there are too many people. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) addresses this problem by providing no cost funding for job training in big demand fields to those who are eligible for this grant. This training is designed to make your resume marketable so you can get hired and return to the workforce. This is a grant, not a loan. If you are eligible, everything is covered, 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 choose something 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 authorized occupation, there will be authorized training plans to choose from.
The 3 most typical classes are: Dislocated Worker, Adult Low Income and Youth (18 -25). If you were 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 might be eligible as a Dislocated worker. If you are on Food Stamps or government assistance, or have low income based on what you have earned the last six months and number of people in your family, then you could be eligible under Adult Low Income. For youths age 18-24, you might be eligible if you are not enrolled in school. You must also be determined to be “suitable.” This is not an entitlement. The process is arduous so it is best to consult with us beforehand to see if you are eligible.
You need to select a plan that can be finished in a short period of time that will increase your marketability enough to help get you a job. We look at the best ways to take advantage of your work history to add a certification that will make you attractive to hiring managers and easier to place. 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 charge 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 remarkably bureaucratic government agency. The steps are confusing. Many schools are reluctant to work with WIOA if they can avoid doing so. I strongly advise you consult with an expert.
Yes! The whole intent of this grant is to help you get a job. We have teamed up with a staffing firm that has dedicated a person to work at our location exclusively with our clients. She helps with your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, interview techniques and most importantly, getting your information in front of hiring managers. We work with over three thousand employers in Central Florida who use us for their training needs. A lot of them recruit from us so we get many job leads that are not available to the general public. Over half the jobs we have helped place people in are not even advertised.
Career Coach
I have over 20 years’ experience in education. I was also laid off from my job several years ago and struggled to get employed again because of ageism. Luckily, I got back to work, but this time on the business side. Then I learned about the WIOA grant and understood what a godsend this could be for people who lost their jobs or people with a limited income. Most people do not like working with it becase of all the red tape. The rules vary from one county to the next and are frequently changing. However, I have always been good at dealing with government bureaucracies. My experience working in colleges gives me an in depth understanding of the many career options and what it takes to get placed. I now specialize in assisting veterans, out of work (and low income) workers who may be eligible for a government grant that will pay for them to get trained, certified and help them get placed in their career and achieve their goals. Let’s see what you are eligible for!