Unemployment Insurance and Federal Aid for Education and Job Training Programs: The Latest Information

President Obama recently announced that people who are collecting unemployment insurance and want to get retrained for a new job or career will get special consideration for financial aid, in particular Federal PELL Grants.

Federal PELL Grants provide up to $5350 for education and job/skill training. Most universities and community colleges accept them. The United States Departments of Education and Labor have set up a specific website,www.opportunity.gov, for anyone collecting unemployment insurance and looking to get re-educated or retrained in a new career. If you do not qualify for a PELL Grant, you may still be able to get monetary assistance to help pay for education and job training.

Unemployment Insurance and Education Grants: How do I prepare to go back to school?

If you are collecting unemployment insurance and believe your chances of getting a steady job would be better with new education and job training, start preparing for your future:

-Think about what field you would like to work in. Hopefully, you can pick a field and career that will grow in demand in the future like health care and green/environmental jobs. Then research what schools in your area provide training in this field. Also look to see what financial aid they accept. A good website is the Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov. This website gives you vital information on what jobs there are in certain fields, what education you need to get those jobs, what schools provide this education, and how much growth there will be in the future for those jobs.

-Fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can do this online at www.fafsa.com. You will need to provide information on your financial status and also tax and bank information from the previous year. So get this documentation out and ready before beginning the filing process. You can also call 1-800-4fedaid to get answers on the most frequently asked questions regarding financial aid and eligibility.

-Go to your state's One Stop Career Service Center and talk to a career counselor. Some states, like New Jersey, provide additional and extended unemployment benefits to those who enroll in a state approved training/education program. Career counselors can also provide information on PELL Grants and other financial aid for education and job training to those collecting unemployment insurance.

Sources:

Official Letter from State of New Jersey Department Labor and Workforce Development

http://federalstudentaid.ed.gov/opportunity/index.html

Personal experience