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Individual Training Accounts

Individual Training Account Policy

Employment and Professional Services | Providing Services Since 1987

Employment and Professional Services
Providing Services Since 1987

Useful Policy Information

Northern Panhandle Workforce Development Board Inc.’s Individual Training Account (ITA) Program is funded under the Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014.

ITAs are vouchers that are used as a mechanism for providing eligible adults, older youth (ages 18-24), and dislocated workers with In-Demand Training that will ultimately lead to full-time, unsubsidized employment for eligible individuals.

What is "In-Demand?"

On-the-Job Training can be used for state-approved, locally-approved, In-Demand Training Program industry sector, or occupational sector jobs only.

“In-Demand” is defined as: “An industry sector job that has a substantial current or potential impact, including jobs that lead to economic self-sufficiency and opportunities for advancement on the state, regional, or local economy as appropriate and that contributes to the growth or stability of other supporting businesses or the growth of other industry sectors or an occupation that currently has or is projected to have a number of positions including positions that lead to economic self-sufficiency and opportunities for advancement in an industry sector so as to have a significant impact on the state, region, or local economic as appropriate.”

The determination of whether an industry sector or occupation is “In-Demand” shall be made by the state board or local board, as appropriate, using state and regional business and labor market projections, including the use of labor market information.

Requirements for In-Demand Training Program

An In-Demand Training Program must meet the following requirements in one of the 2 categories listed below to be considered for the state eligible provider list:

Category #1 - Be a Post-Secondary Educational Program that is eligible to receive funds under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, providing a program that leads to an Associate Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, or certificate; or that carries out programs under the National Apprenticeship Act of 1937.

Category #2 – Be public or private providers of Training Services: a Post-Secondary Educational Institution that wishes to receive Training Funds for Programs that do not lead to an Associate or Baccalaureate Degree or certificate or are not funded under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 or an Apprenticeship Program wishing to receive Training Funds for a Program not registered by the Federal Bureau of Apprenticeship Training or a local WIB (if a waiver is requested and received from the Governor).

In all cases, Federal Pell grants established under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 or any other available grant assistance to pay the costs of training must be accessed first before WIOA funds can be allocated.

How are ITAs Used?

ITAs can only be used for eligible residents within the Northern Panhandle counties of WV except for dislocated workers. Dislocated workers have to be either a resident of the Northern Panhandle of WV or laid-off from a WV company.

ITAs are administered and authorized by the Northern Panhandle Workforce Development Board, Inc. for eligible individuals. We are responsible for approving all training payments for eligible individuals.

ITAs, funded under the WIOA, can be used for eligible individuals who are unable to obtain PELL grant assistance or who need additional assistance beyond PELL grants.

Who is Eligible for ITA Funding?

To be eligible to receive ITA WIOA Funding for a College-Level Training Program, an ITA participant must have a score of at least a 12th-grade level in 2 out of 3 areas of reading, math, and/or English on a generally accepted standardized test approved for use in the Northern Panhandle region of WV if required by occupation or training.

The expenditure limit for an ITA under WIOA funding is $5,500 per program year per ITA participant, not to exceed $11,000 for a maximum period of 2 years.

We reserve the authority to reject a request for WIOA or funding for an ITA if the Occupational Training requested is not on the list of In-Demand Occupations approved by the Northern Panhandle Workforce Development Board, Inc. and the state.

The costs of any repeated course(s), lost books, etc. shall not be borne by the Northern Panhandle Workforce Development Board, Inc.’s WIOA funds.

An ITA participant must be considered likely to complete a Training Program and/or course within a 2 year period.

An eligible individual may receive more than one (1) ITA if it is for an occupation within the same industry/career pathway (i.e.: Certified Nursing Assistant to Licensed Practical Nurse or Class B CDL to Class A CDL, etc.) In order to receive more than one (1) ITA, the eligible individual must show proof of successful completion of all prior ITA-funded training. Receipt of more than one (1) ITA requires prior approval from the NPWDB, Inc. ITAs will not pay for course repeats. An ITA participant will not be permitted to change majors or transfer to a different ITA Training Provider.

When an ITA participant completes the ITA Program, he/she cannot reapply for our WIOA funds. When an ITA participant withdraws from the ITA Program, he/she cannot reapply for our WIOA funds unless the ITA participant withdrew because:

He/she had an illness or injury that caused/would have caused him/her to miss training for an extended period of time
A serious family emergency occurred that caused/would have caused him/her to miss training for an extended period of time
He/she were called back to work.

If an ITA participant withdrew from the ITA Program for any of the above reasons, he/she must request approval from us to re-enroll into the ITA Program/reapply for our WIOA funds. The Northern Panhandle Workforce Development Board, Inc. will require the ITA participant to provide hard copy documentation supporting the reason(s) he/she withdrew from initial (first time) participation in the ITA Program. It will be at the discretion of the Northern Panhandle Workforce Development Board, Inc. to determine if an ITA participant will be permitted to re-enroll in the ITA Program/reapply for our WIOA funds.

We reserve the right to terminate WIOA funding for an ITA should a reduction or loss of either, or both, of these funding sources be implemented by the US DOL or the Governor of WV occur. If this happens, the ITA participant will be notified by the Northern Panhandle Workforce Development Board, Inc., in writing, within at least 5 working days in advance of the effective date of such termination of awarded funds.

WIOA funds will not be approved for the following:

Home study courses
Sectarian activities
Tutorial classes
Preparatory classes
Remedial classes

WIOA funds will not be used for any Training Program(s) or course(s) that occurred prior to funding for the ITA being approved by the Northern Panhandle Workforce Development Board, Inc.

Continued participation in the ITA Program is based on satisfactory progress as defined and documented by the Northern Panhandle Workforce Development Board, Inc. If an ITA participant's grade average falls below 2.0 for any semester/quarter, the participant will be placed on probationary status for the following semester/quarter.

An ITA participant may only be placed on probationary status one time during participation in the ITA Program. If the grade level falls below 2.0 in an additional semester or quarter, the ITA participant will be automatically withdrawn from the ITA Program by the Northern Panhandle Workforce Development Board, Inc.

All ITA participants must maintain full-time status (12 credit hours) unless the ITA participant (student) has already completed courses toward the desired occupation and it is determined by the Northern Panhandle Workforce Development Board, Inc. that they would complete the program within a 1 year period. ITA participants may be paid Supportive Services and/or Needs-Based Services based on need and available WIOA budgets after training is obligated and in accordance with the Northern Panhandle Workforce Development Board Inc.’s Supportive Services and Needs-Based Services policy.