DBK
New Member
Posts: 20
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Post by DBK on Sept 25, 2003 10:26:38 GMT -5
Thanks to all of you here I've finally identified funds that will pay for my schooling to become a truck driver. After much searching I found Sage Technical Services here in Denver and decided that they were the best school for me. But I couldn't find a way to pay for it until I read through most of the posts on this board over the last couple of days.
Somewhere in a discussion someone mentioned using Google to find the Workforce Investment Act information for the state. Well, after many phone calls I finally found the right person. They have funds available and tomorrow I get to go to orientation, then talk to a counselor, then start the testing process to see if I can qualify for the funds.
Rachelle, this board absolutely ROCKS!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for being here, and thanks too for all the people who posted and helped me find a way to pay for school for my new adventure in life!
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Post by Arcflash on Sept 25, 2003 13:01:35 GMT -5
Yay! That was me! Yay! hehehehe.
Glad you got some help bro... The WIA program definately helped me out a lot.
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DBK
New Member
Posts: 20
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Post by DBK on Sept 25, 2003 17:33:50 GMT -5
"Glad you got some help bro..." Hey, Arcflash, I appreciate the encouraging word, but, um, er, I'm a female...so prolly don't qualify as your bro, LOL. Thanks a million for the info - couldn't/wouldn't have found the funding without you!!!! ;D
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Post by Arcflash on Sept 25, 2003 21:33:38 GMT -5
"Glad you got some help bro..." Hey, Arcflash, I appreciate the encouraging word, but, um, er, I'm a female...so prolly don't qualify as your bro, LOL. Thanks a million for the info - couldn't/wouldn't have found the funding without you!!!! ;D DOH! My apologies!
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Post by SilverBullet on Sept 26, 2003 19:05:37 GMT -5
DOH! My apologies! How's that foot taste Arc?? LOL ;D
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Post by Arcflash on Sept 27, 2003 12:00:37 GMT -5
It's worse when you do it in person. ;D
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Post by SilverBullet on Sept 28, 2003 7:32:36 GMT -5
It's worse when you do it in person. ;D Oh believe me, I know all too well what the sole of my shoe tastes like...LOL
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Post by OldPreNewbie on Oct 1, 2003 0:30:32 GMT -5
Does the "Workforce Investment Act " pay or help to pay only for those who can't afford the fees, or is it available to anyone?
A pointer to an URL would be appreciated.
TIA, OPN
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DBK
New Member
Posts: 20
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Post by DBK on Oct 1, 2003 1:18:21 GMT -5
As far as I can tell they will help anyone, though they asked me if I was employed and indicated that if you are and you are making decent money they aren't too interested in retraining you...I'm unemployed and have exhausted benefits so it seems I'm a good candidate.
As far as a URL - I'm in Colorado and it took a couple of hours on the phone to find out where the funds are. It is not possible in this state to do it on the www. I don't know where you are, but your state is probably similar...start calling your state's unemployment offices.
Another way would be to locate a school - they might also give you the information on who to call.
BTW, you probably aren't any older than I am!
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Post by OldPreNewbie on Oct 1, 2003 8:31:38 GMT -5
I did some googling about WIA and found a technical college ofering 324-hours driving course, all for $800 -- and best of all, the college is about 2 miles from my home. So, I won't need a financial assitance, as I can easily afford $800 which seems like a bargain -- provided the school is any good; which remains to be seen. I'll wait until Rachelle's book arrives and I'm finished going through it, so that I could ask some weasel-proof questions of the school.
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Post by Phantom56 on Oct 1, 2003 14:50:18 GMT -5
As far as I can tell they will help anyone, though they asked me if I was employed and indicated that if you are and you are making decent money they aren't too interested in retraining you...I'm unemployed and have exhausted benefits so it seems I'm a good candidate. I just got back from my WIA eligibility evaluation. **No dice** for me. Pennsylvania does all sorts of calculations and if your household income is above 70% of the state poverty level, you're too rich. In my case, my wife's income exceeded that amount by a few hundred dollars and I'm not eligible for WIA funds. The pisser is that five miles away, over the New York state line they do not have any income eligibility requirements. If you've exhausted your unemployment, you're eligible for WIA. Meanwhile, I've got to try and figure out how to manage to pay my way through a school out of our household income that's been down over $50K/yr for two and a half years. Hell, we can barely manage our basic expenses as it is while praying nothing unexpected comes up and yet the state offers no help. Guess I might have to look into some of those "voluntary slavery" company school programs in hopes of getting into a driving job. Still better that waiting around in the "first fired, last rehired" line for the electronics and IT industry or building burgers for Micky Diseases. ***Sigh...*** If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.
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DBK
New Member
Posts: 20
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Post by DBK on Oct 1, 2003 17:02:28 GMT -5
That bites! I didn't realize that I could have been denied this benefit also. My husband doesn't make that much money; but it didn't appear that Colorado had an income requirement. I wasn't a victim of the lousy economy, especially for IT people, as much as a messed up employer that just has a revolving door policy with regard to their employees. They appeared to hire me so that the boss could go have a baby and I could run things for her until she got back. They waited until I was out of town to trash me and fired me when I got back - classic set up. What a bunch of hairballs. They tried to deny me unemployment, but after a hearing I got full benefits - I'm sure that bothered them. Phantom, could you move to NY state for awhile??? How long do you need to live there?
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Post by Arcflash on Oct 1, 2003 17:32:07 GMT -5
The income eligibility requirements are county by county. I don't qualify in the next county over, but in mine I do. The premise behind "workforce investment" isn't to just give away money, it is to enhance the tax base. They are looking for people who will not only just benefit from the program, but also increase their annual earnings to a point where they are paying more taxes. If you make a lot of money, have a slew of dependents, or have a big fat tax shelter to hide under they aren't going to give you financial aid. They'll still help you find a job, but no tuition assistance.
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Post by Phantom56 on Oct 1, 2003 18:15:19 GMT -5
The premise behind "workforce investment" isn't to just give away money, it is to enhance the tax base. They are looking for people who will not only just benefit from the program, but also increase their annual earnings to a point where they are paying more taxes. If you make a lot of money, have a slew of dependents, or have a big fat tax shelter to hide under they aren't going to give you financial aid. Trust me, if I could get CDL training it would increase their tax base. Right now we're living on just over $26K/yr and they don't get squat for taxes anymore. When I was working we were paying so much in taxes that the wife's entire income all went for taxes; state & federal income taxes and local property tax. Now we don't earn diddly and we're renting, so the taxes we pay are the minimum all around. But a girl at the eligibility meeting today was told she's eligible for WIA funded training because while she's living with her boyfriend who's making around $50K/yr, they're not blood or marriage relations. So his income in the same household didn't count against her eligibility computations, even though he could afford to pay to send her to school. Go figger.
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Post by truckertom on Oct 11, 2003 21:36:27 GMT -5
"So his income in the same household didn't count against her eligibility computations, even though he could afford to pay to send her to school."
We had a couple that came through our school years ago that put off their wedding so they could get the driving school paid for by the taxpayers.
Don't get me started.
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