To help Clallam County residents struggling with employment issues during the COVID-19 pandemic, Peninsula College officials say the school’s Worker Retraining (WRT) Program at Peninsula College may be the answer.

The WRT program provides hopeful options to individuals who are laid off or furloughed due to pandemic, or who have had to close their businesses, college officials said.

Designed to provide instruction and training that can lead to family-wage jobs, the WRT Program provides funds in the form of grants that do not have to be paid back.

Funds can be used for tuition, books, childcare, supplies, career counseling, early registration, assistance applying for other funding resources and job search assistance.

“Our worker retraining program opens doors and changes students’ lives,” said Dr. Mia Boster, PC’s Dean for Workforce Education.

WRT program funds are also available for:

• those currently collecting unemployment benefits;

• those who are unemployed and exhausted unemployment benefits within the past 48 months;

• displaced homemakers and those who have recently lost their primary source of income within the past 48 months;

• self-employed, now unemployed within the past 48 months;

• discharged veterans within the past 48 months;

• active duty military with a notice of separation;

• temporary workers who were dislocated from a previous job; and,

• vulnerable workers.

“It’s never too late to go back to school,” said Brian Kneidl, associate dean of workforce programs.

All professional/technical programs as well as the Bachelors of Applied Science in Applied Management Program (BAS) are eligible for funding through the program.

Learn more at pencol.edu/worker-retraining.

For more information or to set up an appointment, email to workerretraining@pencol.edu or call 360-417-5692.