Workforce Development

Workforce Development

PennWest California collaborates with federally funded programs to support workforce development and help workers who have lost their jobs and need retraining.

PennWest California offers certificates and undergraduate and graduate degree programs that are approved for funding under:

  • The Trade Adjustment Act (TAA), a federally funded employment program that assists workers whose jobs have been impacted by foreign imports. Learn more about TAA
  • The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which provides federal job training for adults and dislocated workers. Learn more about WIOA

 

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How to Apply

TAA benefits begin with the employer applying for participation in the program. You should verify that your employer has been approved to participate in TAA and/or WIOA by contacting the CareerLink Office in your county.

To apply to PennWest California, please provide the following:

  • Application for undergraduate or graduate admission (either hard copy or electronic application).
  • A nonrefundable $35 application fee, payable to PennWest California. TAA and WIOA students do not pay this fee. Click on "Fee Waiver" prior to submitting the application.
  • An official high school transcript and, if applicable, GED certificate and scores. (This requirement is waived for students who have earned at least three college-level credits.)
  • Official copy of your SAT or ACT scores. (This requirement may be waived for those two years or more out of high school.)

Students must request that official transcripts be submitted to PennWest California's Office of Admissions from all post-secondary institutions attended at the time of acceptance. Students will not be granted transfer credits from other institutions after they have been accepted.

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Please review these steps for TAA/WIOA applicants to ensure that you are meeting all requirements to apply to participate in these programs at PennWest California. If you have questions and need more help, contact Office of Continuing Education at 724-938-4617 or (toll-free) 1-888-412-0479.

STEPS FOR TAA/WIOA APPLICANTS

Steps
 

TAA benefits begin with the employer applying for participation in the program. You should verify that your employer has been approved to participate in TAA and/or WIOA by contacting the CareerLink Office in your county.

  1. TAA benefits begin with the employer applying for participation in the program. You should verify that your employer has been approved to participate in TAA and/or WIOA by contacting the CareerLink Office in your county.

  2. If your employer has approved TAA and/or WIOA benefits, visit the PA CareerLink website at the Commonwealth Workforce Development System webpage to review area providers and programs approved for education and retraining. A list of approved PennWest California degree and certificate programs for the current academic year can also be found at the following link:  Approved Programs of Study

  3. Contact us at  724-938-4617 to discuss educational goals and program requirements. She will help to coordinate all of the paperwork and communication required by both the Careerlink Office and the University. The Office of Articulation and Transfer Evaluation reviews students' previous transcripts to determine the amount of credits that will be transferred into a particular area of study. The amount of transferrable credits plays a crucial role in determining if a student can complete their desired area of study within their allotted timeframe.

  4. Application Process:
    1. Undergraduate Programs : Submit online application and supporting documents to Office of Continuing Education for evaluation.
    2. Graduate Programs: Submit online application and supporting documents to the School of Graduate Studies and Research. 
  5. TAA/WIOA recipients are required to apply for federal and state aid by filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid online.  The amount of your TAA/WIOA award may be adjusted to reflect the amount of grants/scholarships received.

  6. Once accepted to PennWest California, you will be assigned an academic adviser. You should meet with your advisor (or department chairperson) immediately to complete either a two year plan of study or a three year plan of study (depending on your approved training period). Individuals receiving unemployment benefits are required to be enrolled full time during the Fall and Spring semesters (at least 12 credits for undergraduate programs and at least 9 credits for graduate programs), as well as each Summer session if courses are available.

  7. Submit your plan of study to:

    Office of Continuing Education - Box 94
    250 University Ave
    California, PA 15419
    724-938-4617
    724-938-4564 (fax)
    hartley_to@calu.edu
  8. Once all required documents are received, we will submit for approval on the PA CareerLink website. PennWest California will invoice the commonwealth for the successful completion of an academic term. Billing, therefore, will not be done until the end of the term.  Students who withdraw from courses, receive incompletes, or fail, must contact the PA CareerLink counselor to determine the impact on their funding.

  9. All students who attend classes on campus must enroll in or waive out of the insurance coverage offered through the university. All students, providing verifiable proof of comparable coverage, may waive the purchase of the sponsored plan. TAA and WIOA funding may not be used to cover health insurance expenses.

  10. All students who choose to park on-campus must purchase a parking pass. TAA does not cover parking costs. In some cases, WIOA funding may be used to cover parking expenses. More details about PennWest California's parking system can be found here.

  11. TAA and WIOA eligible students may charge their textbooks to their student account by their student ID card at the register and explaining that they are a TAA or WIOA student.

  12. Verification of attendance is required for TAA/WIOA students. Students need to complete and return bi-weekly timesheets. Once you become a TAA/WIOA student, you will receive a PennWest California email account and the Office of Continuing Education will communicate with you on a regular basis through this email account. Please check it regularly.