How to get WIOA funding for career training in Illinois

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is federal job-training funding. In Illinois it runs through local workforce areas. You don't apply on a statewide website. You apply through your local Illinois workNet Center or American Job Center (AJC).

In Chicago and suburban Cook County, the local WIOA system is run by the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership. It funds a network of 50+ delegate agencies, including 10 American Job Centers.

Approved programs appear in Illinois workNet's WIOA Approved Training Programs search. That is the state's Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL).

Eligibility is decided at the local center. Groups that commonly qualify:

• Adults 18+ who are unemployed, underemployed or on a low income
• Dislocated workers: laid off, notified of a layoff, or formerly self-employed
• Young adults through WIOA Youth programs
• Veterans and eligible spouses, who receive priority of service

1. 1Find your nearest Illinois workNet Center or American Job Center on illinoisworknet.com. In Chicago, start with the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership's AJC locations.
2. 2Attend a WIOA orientation. Many centers run these on a regular schedule.
3. 3Bring your documents: photo ID, Social Security card, birth certificate or passport, proof of income or public benefits, and a resume if you have one.
4. 4Meet with a career planner. Pick a program from the WIOA Approved Training Programs search and explain why it fits your goal.
5. 5Once approved, the center authorizes payment to the school and you enroll.

Elevate's Tech Sales and Cybersecurity programs are 100% online with live instructor-led classes, so Illinois students train from home. Elevate is an approved provider on the Illinois ETPL. Our admissions team works with Illinois workNet Centers and local boards to coordinate funding.

The HVAC program includes hands-on labs at our Phoenix, Arizona campus, so for most Illinois residents the online programs are the practical choice.