Effective and accessible workforce training programs are essential to preparing new workers while also providing career development opportunities for current ones.

Most of the fastest growing jobs require education beyond high school. Any level of training, including certifications and apprenticeships, can improve your job search success. WorkForce West Virginia administers several training programs to help you, as well as grants and other funding options to pay for it. Find the county you reside in below and click the link to the Local Workforce Development Board serving your county to find out what options are available to you.

Region 1
Serves Fayette, Greenbrier, McDowell, Mercer, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Raleigh, Summers, Webster and Wyoming counties.

r1wib.org

(304) 253-3611

Region 2
Serves Boone, Cabell, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo, Putnam and Wayne counties.

wvregion2.org

(304) 429-5900 or (866) 262-5348

Region 3
Serves Kanawha County.

region3wibkc.org

(304) 344-5761

Region 4
Serves Calhoun, Clay, Jackson, Mason, Pleasant, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt and Wood counties.

movrc.org

(304) 442-4993

Region 5
Serves Brooke, Hancock, Marshall, Ohio, Tyler and Wetzel counties.

npworkforcewv.org

(304) 323-6880

Region 6
Serves Barbour, Braxton, Doddridge, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis, Marion, Monongalia, Preston, Randolph, Taylor, Tucker, and Upshur counties.

regionviwv.org

(304) 368-9530

Region 7
Serves Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan and Pendleton counties.

wvregion7workforce.org

(304) 530-3917

Coal miners

The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded a $7.4 million National Emergency Grant (NEG) to WorkForce West Virginia to provide retraining and reemployment services to dislocated coal miners and displaced homemakers impacted by mass layoffs and coal mine closures. The grant will help participants find new career paths outside of the coal mining industry and long-term reemployment opportunities.

About the grant

The grant provides up to $5,000 per participant for Classroom Occupational Skills Training in an occupation expected to be high demand, such as Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), Welding, Electrical Engineering, HVAC, Diesel Technology, Chemical Processor, etc. Participants who meet training program attendance requirements will be eligible for training allowances to cover the cost of gas, food, child care, etc. at the rate of $20 per day for the days attending class, up to $100 per week.

Who qualifies as a displaced homemaker?

The term “displaced homemaker” means an individual who has been providing unpaid services to family members in the home and who has been dependent on the income of another family member but is no longer supported by that income; and is unemployed or underemployed and is experiencing difficulty in obtaining or upgrading employment. As a result of the lost income or dramatic reduction in income, it may be necessary for a spouse or another member of the family living in the household, to obtain employment or participate in occupational skills training that would make them marketable to find employment in order to support the family. Displaced Homemakers may be a spouse or another member of the family living in the home.

Not sure what you would be interested in? Click here to see jobs that are in demand in West Virginia.

Eligibility

To be determined eligible, contact the local WorkForce West Virginia office in your area.

Learn how this Grant has Helped Others

tristateupdate.com

Trade assistance: Help for those affected by foreign imports or shifts of production outside the United States

Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) helps those who became unemployed due to layoffs as a result of foreign imports or a shift of production out of the United States. Workers are eligible for TAA program services if a petition submitted on behalf of the workers is certified by the U.S. Department of Labor, determining that the workers were separated from their employment due to foreign competition.

Benefits and services

• Training: Training consists of one Occupational Skills training plan, but may include a group of courses (components) related to a specific Occupational Goal. Training may be in form of classroom, on-line (distance learning) training, or on-the-job training. All training must be approved in advance by Workforce West Virginia’s State Trade Unit.
• Travel Allowance: May be eligible to receive a daily mileage allowance to assist with travel costs while attending training outside the normal commuting distance.
• Subsistence Allowance: May be eligible to receive a room and board expenses while attending training outside the normal commuting distance.
• Supply Allowance: May be eligible to receive a reimbursement per quarter/semester/term/session of up to $150.00 for training related supplies.
• TRA Benefits: May be eligible to receive up to 130 weeks of Income Support payments. Trade Readjustment Assistance (TRA) is administered by WorkForce West Virginia’s Unemployment Insurance Division.
• Job Search Allowance: May be eligible for a reimbursement up to 90% for travel, meals, and lodging expenses. Maximum amount of reimbursement cannot exceed $1,250 for prearranged interviews beyond the normal commuting distance, and must be approved, in advance, by the WorkForce West Virginia’s State TAA Unit.
• Relocation Allowance: You must have accepted a job outside your normal commuting distance and receive prior approval from the WorkForce West Virginia’s TAA Unit for your relocation. You will receive up to 90% of reasonable and necessary expenses, and you will receive a lump sum of three (3) times your former average weekly wage, not to exceed $1,250 for the move.
• Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance (RTAA): A wage subsidy program offered to workers 50 years or older. The wage subsidy may not exceed $10,000 or two years, whichever occurs first. If you participate in the RTAA program, you can still attend training.

For more information,

Workforce West Virginia State TAA Unit - 1-877-967-5498

doleta.gov

Whether you’ve successfully identified your career interests, or are still interested in learning more about available jobs, take some time and explore employment opportunities in your area. To help, we’ve pulled together a list of the top 10 growing industries in West Virginia, as well as outlined in-demand jobs in each region across the state.

Statewide:

First and foremost, thank you for your service to both our country and our state. We understand that as a veteran, returning to civilian life can be challenging and include a number of life-changing decisions. Upon returning home, you may decide to continue your education or find a new career path. No matter where you fall on your career journey, WorkForce West Virginia is here to help!

In accordance with Title 38, US Code and State legislation, qualified veterans are entitled to receive a priority in all employment and training programs and services. The Employment Service, a partner in the WorkForce West Virginia One-Stop Career Centers, is the delivery agent for U.S. Department of Labor-funded employment and training programs. Services are provided to all veterans through a network of Job Service offices in West Virginia.

Jobs for Veterans State Grant

Veterans and eligible persons meeting eligibility requirements may be referred to specific veterans’ program staff for specialized services. Disabled Veteran Outreach Program Specialists (DVOPS) are responsible for providing intensive services to qualified veterans at the WorkForce center or itinerant site with a goal of long term sustainable employment of the veteran. Local Veteran Employment Representatives (LVER) conduct outreach to employer and employer groups such as business, industry, and other community-based organizations by serving as an advocate for the hiring of veterans.

Operation Opportunity: Job fair assistance program

Hilton Worldwide and WorkForce West Virginia have partnered on Operation Opportunity Initiative. This is a program designed to provide hotel room assistance to veterans with job interviews, skills training, housing searches and any employment testing that would make travel a necessity during your job search. The rooms are provided to veterans at no charge, and WorkForce West Virginia offers assistance with the application process at local offices across the state.

In addition to helping with interview skills and resumes, this program serves as one more way West Virginia is working to assist current service members, veterans and their spouses find jobs faster and most easily than ever before.

For more information, click here.

West Virginia Military Connection

By logging on to this portal, veterans can find links to services for employment, health care, training and education programs and a number of family resources, as well as local contacts and information on benefits specific to veterans.

wvmilitaryconnection.org

Additional services

The Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) provides a 24/7 online resource assistance to all veterans, as well as to employers who want to hire veterans. The site was designed to be a virtual “first stop” for veterans, transitioning service members and their spouses in the employment search processes. The site brings together job banks, state employment offices, AJCs, opportunities in top trending industry sectors and employer assistance.

For more information, visit:

veterans.gov

Additional online resources

A variety of federal and state assistance programs and organizations are available to help veterans transition back into civilian life and find stable, long-term employment opportunities.

dol.gov

ebenefits.va.gov

mynextmove.org

veterans.wv.gov