What Qualifies a Person for WIA?

WIA may be able to help you if you have become unemployed through no fault of your own. If you have been laid off, you must present either a copy of the termination letter or a letter of determination from the Department of Labor when you apply for assistance. There are no stated age or income requirements for unemployed applicants.

If you are living in a low-income household, defined as one that qualifies for food stamps (whether you receive food assistance or not), you may qualify for WIA training assistance. To qualify, adults must be over the age if 18, have a Social Security number and comply with Selective Service registration, citizenship and other eligibility-to-work requirements.

Teens and young adults who qualify as low income may also be eligible for education assistance. These students must be between 14 and 21 years old and meet at least one of the program's additional criteria. These requirements include being pregnant or a parent, homeless, a runaway or in foster care, an offender, deficient in basic literary skills, a school dropout or requiring additional help to complete a course of study or to find employment.

There are no minimum educational requirements to qualify for WIA, but applicants with a bachelor's degree or higher will most likely be denied. Those applicants who receive WIA funds must enroll full time in a skills-based training program and maintain at least a 2.0 GPA.