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Are you unemployed or under-employed? Have you been laid off or received a notice of lay-off? If so, you might be eligible for a WIOA-Pinellas grant that can really help you get trained, certified and placed in your new job. There is no out-of-pocket for you. Let’s see if you qualify!
With the amount of computer networks doubling every 5 years, the job demand for IT 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 32 percent from 2022 to 2032, which is much better than average. Cyberseek.org’s supply and demand heat map shows over 550,000 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 7,000 job openings and the number of qualified workers is very low. The cyber-crime epidemic is expected to triple the number of job openings over the next 5 years. Employers desperately need workers who are certified in Security+, CISSP, Certified Security Analyst (CySA), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) and CompTIA PenTest+
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 credential for this field. CIO ranked this certification fourth for 2023. Other top certifications in this field include ITIL, Agile Master, and Scrum Master
Every year, more companies are realizing the benefits Business Analysts offer. Because of this, the Business Analyst job market is expected to grow at a rate of 19% over the next 10 years! With that amount of growth, businesses are already fighting for every Business Analyst they can find and pay good salaries. One of the biggest changes to this career is the need for business intelligence skills, like Excel, and Power BI. Companies now depend on data analysis technologies like Big Data analysis for company growth. With the right certifications, business analysts will get the business intelligence skills they need to advance in their careers.
Responsible administrative assistants perform many administrative jobs and clerical tasks. Duties include providing help to managers and employees, assisting in every day office needs and being responsible for the company’s general administrative duties. The more qualified administrative assistants can make a surprisingly good salary if they have the necessary skills. Certifications like Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) can really help to move up in this profession.
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 free training grants to help workers get trained, certified and placed in high demand fields such as IT, cyber-security, business intelligence, project management and more. The idea is that there are fields 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 issue by providing free funding for career training in high demand fields to those who are eligible for this grant. This training is intended to make your resume marketable so you can get a job and get back into the workforce. This is a grant, not a loan. If you qualify, everything is included, even the exam. The amounts vary by county but can be as high as $10,000 in some areas.
The WIOA-Pinellas grant is a jobs program so you must select a program where there is a high expectation of gainingemployment. Each county has a regionally targeted occupations list (RTOL) to choose from. They want to make sure you select a career that is in high demand. For each approved occupation, there will be approved training plans to choose from.
The three most prevalent classes 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 be eligible 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 be eligible under Adult Low Income. For youths age 18-24, you might be eligible if you are not going to school. You must also be determined to be “suitable.” This is not an automatic approval. The process is arduous so it is best to discuss this with us beforehand to see if you qualify.
if you qualify for a WIOA-Pinellas grant, you need to select a plan that can be completed in a short period of time that will raise your marketability enough to help get you placed. We look at the best ways to leverage your work history to add a certification that will make you attractive to employers and easier to place. Some occupations are perfect 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 personal 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 an extremely bureaucratic government agency. The steps are as clear as mud. A lot of schools are hesitant to work with WIOA if they can avoid it. I strongly advise you consult with an expert.
Yes! The whole intent of this program is to help you get back in the workforce. 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 preparation and most importantly, getting your resume in front of hiring managers. We work with over three thousand employers in Central Florida who use us for their training needs. Many 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.
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