WIA Program

The goal of the WIA Program is to assist you in securing full-time employment at a self-sufficient rate of pay. WIA is not “financial aid” but is a program that provides assistance to applicants in obtaining suitable employment. WCF will assess your current skill set and if it is determined that your current skill set needs strengthening to enable you to obtain employment at a self-sufficient rate of pay, then training may be considered as an option for you. WIA is not an entitlement program but offers many resources to those who qualify. These resources may or may not include training depending on the assessment of each applicant’s needs. Applicants must be determined suitable, most in need, and also meet the WIA eligibility criteria listed below.

Eligibility Requirements are as follows

Adults that fit the following eligibility requirements may qualify for the WIA program:

Must be age 18 or older
Must be a resident of Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake or Sumter counties
Must meet one of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Adult or Dislocated Worker criteria.
WIA Adult criteria include:
- If you are receiving food stamps or have received food stamps in the last 6 months
- If you are a low income household
- If you have a substantial disability
- If you are receiving cash welfare benefits
- If you are homeless
WIA Dislocated Worker criteria include:
- If you have been terminated, laid off, or downsized
- If you are eligible for receiving Reemployment Assistance benefits (formerly Unemployment Compensation)
- If you have exhausted your Reemployment Assistance benefits
- If you worked at a facility with more than 25 employees that announced a permanent layoff
- If you are a homemaker who no longer receives support from another family member and are looking to enter the workforce
- If you were self-employed and currently unemployed due to a natural disaster or economic conditions
Priority of service will be given to eligible veterans and their spouses

For more information on the WIA program and to learn about your next steps, please view the WIA Overview Webinar. The webinar will take about 30 minutes to complete.

For more information on training and to view a list of approved training providers, please visit our Training and Financial Aid page.

Test of Adult Basic Education

One eligibility requirement of the WIA Program is scoring an 8.0 on the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE). The TABE is a basic skills assessment in the areas of Reading, Math and Language. This is a list of websites to help you prepare for the TABE Test.