What is the Worker Retraining Program?
The WRT Program is designed to help unemployed or dislocated workers gain new skills or strengthen current skills that will assist them in obtaining employment. Eligible students may qualify for various forms of financial support while attending Bellingham Technical College, made possible through the Worker Retraining state funded grant.
Bellingham Technical College and WorkSource collaborate to deliver Worker Retraining services that provide job training to Washington's workforce. Worker Retraining categories include persons:
- Laid off or have received a layoff notice
- Currently receive or are eligible to receive unemployment benefits
- Have exhausted unemployment benefits within the last two years
- Qualify as a displaced homemaker
- Have received an honorable discharge from the armed forces within the past 2 years
- Were self-employed but are now unemployed due to economic conditions in the community
- Are a vulnerable worker
- Who live/lived or work/worked in one of the counties declared in a disaster area at the time of a disaster within the last 24 months, and your employment situation was impacted by the disaster
Worker Retraining recipients may receive:
- Tuition and books (funds may not cover all of these needs) during your first quarter at BTC (based on availability). Worker retraining financial aid is meant for "start-up" funding. As such, assistance is awarded for one quarter only while you seek long-term sources to fund your education.
- Program-ready (waitlist) status
- Assistance liaising with other agencies, programs, and funding sources
Application Process:
- Attend a "Dislocated Worker Orientation" session held at WorkSource Whatcom
 (call (360)-676-1521 for more details). If eligible, you will receive a "Dislocated Worker Program" form.
- Turn in the completed "Dislocated Worker Program" form to BTC's Financial Resources Office, College Services Building room 101 along with BTC’s Worker Retraining Application form .
- If you are or will be receiving unemployment benefits from Employment Security, you are required to fill out a Commissioner Approved Training (CAT) or Training Benefits (TB) form seeking permission to attend school.
- Apply for financial aid via www.fafsa.gov in order to be considered for any worker retraining funding.
- Enroll at BTC
 . Contact the Admissions Office (752) 8345) for more information.
- Apply for basic food benefits . If eligible, complete a BFET application (available at College Services, room 101, BTC). BFET students may receive funding and other types of assistance.
- Learn more about other sources of funding and applying to school by attending BTC’s "Funding Orientation" sessions held at BTC. Call (360) 752-8699 for location and times.
- After completing these steps, feel free to meet with the BTC Worker Retraining staff, to discuss preliminary eligibility and course & program availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Helpful Links:
Contact at BTC
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(360)752-8492
