Want A Rewarding Career?
Do you need training to get back into a rewarding career? Worker Retraining may be for you! We help unemployed workers and people at risk of unemployment to get the training they need for better employment opportunities.
What Can Worker Retraining Do For You?
Worker Retraining provides funding and services to help workers build and enhance their job skills.
You may be eligible for assistance with:
- funding for tuition and books
- funds when you have exhausted your unemployment and are finishing up your program
- obtaining other funding through sources including Financial Aid and WorkSource
- Employment Security applications to continue to collect unemployment benefits while going to school (CAT) and to extend unemployment benefits while in school (TB)
- free college assessment
- educational planning, advising, new student orientation, and registration
- developing the skills needed to be successful in college (including a college success seminar)
- connecting to other resources and programs you may be eligible for
Do You Qualify?
You could be eligible if you:
- are collecting, will collect, or have collected unemployment benefits from the state of Washington in the last 24 months.
- were formerly self-employed but have become unemployed in the last 24 months due to general economic conditions or a natural disaster.
- have become a displaced homemaker in the last 24 months, meaning that you were dependent on another family member's income, that income is no longer available to you, and you are either unemployed or underemployed.
- you separated with an honorable discharge from the U.S. armed services in the last 24 months.
What Program Options Are Available?
TCC offers retraining in 50+ professional/technical certificate and degree programs for Worker Retraining students to choose from in the following areas:
- Accounting
- Administration of Law and Justice
- Business
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography
- Emergency Medical and Health Services
- Health Information Management
- Human Services
- Medical Office Professional
- Networking & Convergence Technologies
- Nursing
- Paraeducation/Early Childhood Education
- Paralegal
- Radioliogic Science
- Respiratory Therapy
Programs range from certificates that take only three months to complete, up to Associate of Applied Science degrees. Several programs offer stand-alone certificates that ladder towards a degree, providing quick reentry to the workforce with the opportunity to complete additional training to enhance your career and earning potential.
Also, if you want to upgrade your job skills but do not wish to complete a certificate or degree, Worker Retraining can customize a training program for you.
Complete List of Eligible Training Programs (PDF Format)
How to Start
If you would like information on the college enrollment steps and about the rules and application forms needed if you are collecting an unemployment check from the state of Washington, please call us at 253-566-6091 to sign up for a Worker Retraining Information Session.
The college enrollment steps at TCC include:
- Apply for admission to TCC online or in person at the Enrollment counter in building 7
- Take an assessment test or have a prior college transcript evaluated by the TCC Assessment office in building 7 (test fee waivers are available at the Counseling/Advising counter in building 7 for students eligible for the Worker Retraining program only)
- Sign up online or at the Counseling/Advising counter in building 7 for a TCC New Student Orientation
- Attend the TCC New Student Orientation
- Register for classes
Next Steps
After you have registered for classes, please complete a Worker Retraining Application packet available at the Counseling & Advising counter in building 7.
We assist with Commissioner Approved Training applications or Training Benefits applications by appointment only after you are registered for classes. Please call 253-566-6091 or come by the Counseling & Advising counter in Building 7 to make an appointment.
For more information, please stop by the Counseling & Advising counter in Building 7, call us at 253.566.5188, or email workerretraining@tacomacc.edu.
If you do not qualify for Worker Retraining, you may still apply to any training program that TCC offers. Other funding resources you may qualify for are:
- WorkSource Pierce 253.593.7300
- Centro Latino 253.572.7717
- Equal Opportunity Resource Center - Spruce Program 253.572.5960
- Opportunity Grant 253.566.5188
- TCC Financial Aid 253.566.5080
