How to Find Free Job Training Programs in Your Community

Various organizations provide resources for you to complete job training programs for free. Some even pay you to learn while you work. Government organizations like American Job Centers and nonprofit organizations like Goodwill can help you find the training that will make you stand out in the job search. Each community’s needs are different, so investigate what is available in your area.

By Lora Korpar

Your local community provides more job search resources than you might think. Many places throughout the U.S. offer free job training programs in various skills and certifications.

Upskilling can help you stand out in the job search without the time commitment of a four-year degree.?

But how do you find these programs? And how do you choose the right one for you?

Wendi Copeland is the chief partnerships officer at Goodwill. Joy Emory is Workforce Snohomish’s CEO and the current chair of the Washington Workforce Association. And Ismaila Maidadi is a WIOA Title I manager at Washington’s Employment Security Department.

I spoke with Copeland, Emory and Maidadi to discuss places to find free job training programs, the most common and advantageous training programs to complete and how to be paid to complete a training program.

Where to Find Free Job Training Programs

Various places to find job training opportunities exist, and they are easily accessible online. The three primary resources to search are college and university certification programs, government programs and nonprofit organizations.

Each state has an American Job Center. They have different names depending on the state, like WorkSource in Washington state. You can find each state’s American Job Center at CareerOneStop. The website also allows you to search for the certification, training, internship or apprenticeship that best fits your needs.?

Visit nonprofit organizations’ and colleges’ websites for more information on their programs. Most community colleges provide certification programs. Organizations like Goodwill, SCORE and the AARP Foundation also offer training programs.

Popular and Useful Free Job Training Programs

The most useful training classes depend on factors like your community and industry. Programs like American Job Centers and Goodwill offer training in many fields such as digital literacy, healthcare and trade skills.

“First question is what's possible, the second question is what's available near me that could also be financially accessible,” Copeland said. “And then there will be what's relevant in the community. Knowing what jobs are available in my community, what those jobs pay and what benefits are available is really important because training and hoping it works out doesn’t really pay off.”?

Maidadi and Emory said American Job Centers cater to the most useful jobs in the local community.

“We really seek to align how we invest in training and provide opportunities to customers based on our local areas’ needs and where the jobs are in demand, though certainly customers make their choices,” Emory said. “There is no one training that we provide. We support customers in what they want to do and how they want to get there and provide them with the information they need.”

“[Goodwill] makes sure that we are connected to the individual and we're connected to the labor market so people are training for real jobs that are available in their community,” Copeland added.

Though training goals should depend on the industry and community, Copeland said some skills are useful for various career paths.

“Digital skills are table stakes for every career,” Copeland said. “Everyone's going to need some level of digital skills to access a job. There's an expectation that you have a professional email address and that you can communicate effectively utilizing basic technology systems… [Goodwill has] all of these resources available, but you've got to have these basic digital skills to get there.”

Emory also said to not overlook the importance of “foundational skills.”

“[The skills that] make people more competitive in the job market aren't always technical skills,” Emory said. “They’re communication, they are writing, speaking, entrepreneurship or critical thinking…? It's the core skills that allow us to navigate work and life. And so those skills are often embedded in technical training programs, and they certainly are supported.”

Many local programs offer job search assistance like resume workshopping, LinkedIn profile building and interview practice.

“We have resource rooms that are equipped with computers and individuals there to support job seekers in crafting a resume, searching for jobs and looking for training,” Emory said. “That is open to the public. Anyone can walk in and access those services.”

Receiving Pay for Job Training Programs

American Job Centers also help fund or facilitate paid training when possible.?

Emory said an example is creating a partnership with local transit authorities to ensure someone who wants a commercial driver's license can receive paid training. They also contributed to the exam fee.

Maidadi said these “hire first” opportunities can be apprenticeships or on-the-job training. An apprenticeship involves working while completing supplemental training, so you learn while doing the job. Check Apprenticeship.gov for available opportunities.

“As they progress in their skills, that wage also goes up during their employment, all the way until they become an expert and get a journeyman’s card that’s recognized around the nation,” Maidadi said.?

Also, Maidadi said the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act provides funding to local workforce boards to provide paid job training.?

Some are also eligible for additional funds to help pay transportation costs and bills while completing training programs. Contact your closest American Job Center to learn more about local opportunities.

“The way the job training works is that the local workforce board and our service providers will work with a business and identify a position they want to hire for that they need to specialize the skills of the job seeker, and then enter into an agreement with the business,” Maidadi said. “The business will hire the person and while the person is working, they're also receiving training and the business will be reimbursed about 50% of the cost of the job seeker during a specified amount of time.

“They get the training, the skills and the hands-on of the business at the same time. So they're more apt for the job but also [build] their resume. So when they've completed training, they're much more employable in the market.”

Copeland added that Guild Education does similar “earn and learn” programs. They have partnered with companies like Disney, Walmart and Chipotle to cover students’ tuition while they work.

“While there are great pathways [to education] through career certificates, there are also some traditional pathways with great employers who are investing in earn and learn,” Copeland said.

Search local government or nonprofit resources to find the right fit for you.

“Oftentimes individuals possess skills that are tremendously valuable in the labor force, and the systems are there to wrap around them whether they need transportation and retraining or they need to strengthen their social online profile or their resume,” Emory said.

Top Takeaways

Finding Free Local Job Training Programs

• Government programs like American Job Centers, colleges, and nonprofits like Goodwill provide free job training programs.
• The most useful types of training programs depend on your industry and location.
• Digital, foundational and job search skills will be helpful no matter which industry you are in.
• Try an apprenticeship, on-the-job training program or earn-and-learn education benefit program to receive pay while learning new skills.