Please note: All training grants for the current fiscal year have been awarded.  We are currently accepting applications for training that starts after July 1, 2010.

In addition to the job search seminars and computer seminars that are offered at our location, Frederick County Workforce Services (FCWS) also has training dollars available to help the dislocated workers and unemployed citizens of Frederick County.  We can help you to upgrade your skills, change your career, earn a specialized certification and/or obtain a high school diploma or advanced degree.

Our funds are available to dislocated workers (individuals laid off from a job due to no fault of their own and eligible for Unemployment Insurance) and Frederick County residents who are currently unemployed.  To be eligible as a dislocated worker, a person must either live in Frederick County or have been laid off from a business that is located in Frederick County.

To apply for FCWS training funds, the first step is to attend FCWS Orientation.  You will then be assigned to a FCWS Career Specialist who will meet with you to discuss your job search action plan and determine your eligibility.  Your Career Specialist will help you decide if training is appropriate for your circumstances.  In order for this assessment to be made, you may be asked to provide the following documentation.

Once you have submitted a training application, a determination will be made as to whether the funding will be approved.  Depending on your situation, a partial or full scholarship may be awarded.

Our training decisions are based on the Frederick County labor market.  There should be a demand for the type of training that you are requesting and the training should result in a job.  Some examples of trainings that have been approved in the past include Certified Nursing Assistant, truck driving, Six Sigma, project management, bookkeeping, Microsoft Office Suite, and GED.  If you are close to completing your associates degree or bachelor’s degree, we may be able to assist with those costs as well.

We currently have funding agreements with several schools, including Frederick Community College, James Rumsey, and Hagerstown Community College.  We are not limited to these schools nor are we limited to a school in Frederick County or in Maryland.  If you would like to attend an alternate school, you will need to factor in the time it may take for us to acquire the necessary approvals for you to do so.

If you are approved for credit classes at a college, you will be required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). 

In addition to funding classes at colleges and training institutions, FCWS also offers an On-the-Job Training (OJT) program.