WIOA Funding and Enrollment Priority

The following applies only to CWIT’s Women in Welding program.

How we fund Women in Welding

Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT) covers the full cost of the Women in Welding program for every student who enrolls — tuition, materials, personal protective equipment and certifications. You will never be asked to pay out of pocket, regardless of how your training is funded.

CWIT funds its programs through grants. One of those funding sources is the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, or WIOA, a federal program that issues training vouchers to individuals who qualify. When a student who qualifies for WIOA uses her voucher for Women in Welding, it helps CWIT sustain the free training we offer. All applicants for Women in Welding are required to be screened for WIOA eligibility.

Who qualifies for WIOA?

WIOA serves adults who are unemployed, underemployed, or low-income. You may qualify if you meet the basic eligibility requirements and at least one of the following:

• You are currently receiving public benefits such as SNAP, Medicaid, or SSI.
• You are living in low-income or subsidized housing.
  You were recently laid off or displaced from a job through no fault of your own.
• Your household income is at or below 250% of the federal poverty level.

Basic eligibility requirements include being 18 or older, authorized to work in the U.S., and a current Illinois resident. These requirements are standard for CWIT’s own admission requirements for the Women in Welding program.

WIOA eligibility is determined by an authorized workforce agency — not by CWIT. 

What does the WIOA application process involve?

The application requires time and documentation. Start as early as possible.

Step 1: Connect with an American Job Center (AJC).
CWIT will refer you to a Job Center as part of the application process.

Step 2: Submit your application and documents.
You’ll need a government-issued photo ID, proof of current Illinois address, and proof of income or public benefits, if applicable. All documents must be complete.

Step 3: Create a Career Connect account.
You’ll upload your documents through Career Connect, Illinois’ workforce portal.

Step 4: Complete an assessment, if required.
If you do not hold an associate degree or higher, you will be required to complete a CASAS assessment — a basic skills evaluation in reading, math, and writing, administered through the Job Center.

Step 5: Receive your training voucher.
Once approved, you’ll receive an Individual Training Account (ITA) — a voucher issued in your name. When you choose to apply it to CWIT’s Women in Welding program, the funding then comes to CWIT on your behalf.

All steps must be completed before you can enroll.

What if I don’t qualify for WIOA?

You are still welcome to apply to the Women in Welding program. The program is free regardless of WIOA eligibility.

WIOA eligibility is one way we prioritize enrollment when we have more qualified applicants than available seats in each cohort. It is not required for admission, and applicants who do not qualify for WIOA will not be denied on that basis alone.

What are my obligations if I use a WIOA voucher?

If you are approved for WIOA and choose to apply your grant to the Women in Welding program, here’s what it means:

As a student, you agree to complete the WIOA application process before your enrollment date, apply your voucher to the Women in Welding program, and meet CWIT’s attendance, conduct, and academic requirements as outlined in the enrollment agreement and course catalog.

If you withdraw from the program, the amount returned to your Individual Training Account depends on how far into the program you were at the time:

• Full refund if you cancel before your first day of class.
• No charge if you cancel before the close of business on your first day.
• Up to 10% of tuition is retained if you leave after your first day but before completing 5% of the program.
• A pro-rata amount is retained for withdrawals after completing between 5% and 60% of the program.
  No refund if you complete more than 60% of the program.

You have the right to cancel your enrollment at any time by writing to CWIT’s Director of Programs.

If you qualify for WIOA but choose not to apply your voucher to this program, that is your decision to make. WIOA grants are issued to you as an individual. If you decide not to use your voucher for Women in Welding, please let us know as soon as possible.

CWIT is approved to operate the Women in Welding program by the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE). We are required to provide all applicants with a copy of our enrollment agreement and course catalog before enrollment.

These documents outline your rights as a student, our refund and cancellation policy, conduct standards, and our complaint process. We encourage you to read them before applying:

View the Women in Welding Course Catalog

View the Women in Welding Enrollment Agreement

View Illinois Board of Higher Education Institutional Disclosures

Questions?

Contact Tonnickie Singleton, Women in Welding Case Manager: tsingleton@cwit.org

Chicago Women in Trades
2444 W. 16th Street
Chicago, IL 60608

312.942.1444