How to get WIOA funding for career training in Arizona

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is a federal law. It funds job training through state and local workforce boards. In Arizona those services are delivered under the ARIZONA@WORK name, through local offices in each workforce area (for example Maricopa County, the City of Phoenix and Pima County).

When WIOA pays for training, it usually does so through an Individual Training Account (ITA). An ITA is money set aside to buy training from an Eligible Training Provider (ETP). The program has to be on the state's Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL).

Your local ARIZONA@WORK career advisor makes the eligibility decision, and the rules vary slightly by local area. People who often qualify include:

• Adults 18 and over who are unemployed or underemployed
• Dislocated workers: people who were laid off, got a layoff notice, or lost self-employment income
• People receiving public assistance or with low household income, who often get priority
• Veterans and eligible spouses, who receive priority of service

You do not need a college degree, and your credit score is not part of the decision.

1. 1Pick the career and program you want, and confirm it is on Arizona's ETPL. Elevate's Tech Sales, Cybersecurity and HVAC programs are approved.
2. 2Contact your local ARIZONA@WORK office or register online, then ask for WIOA training services.
3. 3Attend orientation and meet a career advisor. Expect an assessment of your skills, work history and goals.
4. 4Gather your documents: photo ID, proof you can work in the U.S. (such as a Social Security card or birth certificate), proof of address, and proof of income or layoff.
5. 5Your advisor approves the training plan and issues the ITA to the school.
6. 6Enroll and start class. Your advisor may check in on attendance and job placement after you finish.

Elevate's admissions team helps with paperwork and coordinates with your advisor. In our experience, approval typically takes 2–4 weeks, depending on your local office's schedule.

Be specific. Say you want WIOA training services and name the program, for example: “I'd like to use WIOA to attend Elevate's 6-week HVAC Technician program in Phoenix.” Advisors work faster when they know the provider and the career goal.

All three Elevate programs are approved for WIOA funding. Tech Sales (10 weeks) and Cybersecurity (24 weeks) are fully online with live classes. HVAC (6 weeks) adds hands-on labs at our Phoenix campus at 2340 W Bell Road. For eligible students, WIOA can cover up to 100% of tuition.