News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 6, 2008
Community and technical colleges can now train more veterans for new careers
OLYMPIA, Wash. – The state’s community and technical colleges have approved an additional resource to help more recently separated service members get retrained in high-demand fields.
The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges announced colleges may now use Worker Retraining program funds to help veterans with tuition and related school expenses. Under this program, veterans are also eligible to access services such as career counseling, job search support, educational and study skills.
“This enhanced access to funds will create more opportunities for former service members to transition into high demand careers here in Washington,” said SBCTC Executive Director Charlie Earl.
According to a report commissioned by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs in September 2007, recently separated service members face higher unemployment rates – around 9.5 percent in the first two years after discharge – compared to 4.3 percent of their peers who never served.
To get financial assistance through the Worker Retraining program, recently separated service members need to meet college residency requirements and have been honorably separated from U.S. Armed Services within the last 24 months. Worker Retraining students can enroll in professional and technical programs, basic skills and literacy; however, academic transfer courses are not supported.
“Not all of our veterans have the G.I. Bill or unemployment insurance and may have been ineligible for Worker Retraining funds in the past,” said Rachel Philo, Worker Retraining Program coordinator at Spokane Community College. “Now, we will be able to help so many more students.”
“This is great news,” said Kristin Munn, educational planner at Wenatchee Valley College. “We definitely have pent-up demand from this population.”
The Worker Retraining program provides retraining for eligible jobless workers who are unable to find work in their current field and helps with financial assistance to cover a portion of tuition or other related costs. Since 1993, the Worker Retraining program has served nearly 100,000 unemployed and dislocated workers.
To learn if they are eligible, recently separated service members should contact one of Washington’s 34 community or technical colleges and ask for the Worker Retraining program.
To find a college, visit http://www.sbctc.edu/general/c_index.aspx.
Veterans needing job search assistance – preparing résumés, interview skills, completing employment applications – can meet with a veterans’ employment specialist at one of Washington’s WorkSource offices, some of which are located on a college campus.
To find a WorkSource office, visit www.Go2WorkSource.com.
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Contact: Carolyn Cummins, 360-704-4339, or Sherry Reichert, Marketing Communications Specialist,
360-704-4308
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